Know Him

“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” (Jude 20-21)

Hello, my friend…

Today I’m hitting sort of a touchy subject with some people, so please don’t get weirded out on me, promise? Anytime somebody mentions the Holy Ghost, there are a hundred different reactions ranging between abject horror to complete and enthusiastic support. This is about more than speaking in tongues (although that is part of the whole discussion). This is simply about praying in accordance with the leading of God in your heart. This is a relationship thing.

So I have this thing about watching athletes, musicians, actors, lawyers, law enforcement officers – anyone who occasionally gets in “the zone.” If you know, you know. Let me explain. As a musician, I can sit down at the piano and play (not as well as my pastor, unfortunately) congregational hymns and lead worship in a corporate setting. I am sophomoric, at best, at my skill – I have never taken the time to really sit down for hours and practice as I should. God has given me a natural talent toward music. Then there are other times – often during the slower, worship portion of the service - when suddenly it feels as if a warm blanket is settling over the sanctuary and I am alone with God. I no longer need sheet music, I no longer hear others singing, and I am not aware there is anybody else in the room. It is just God and me. And I play and sing out of a heart bursting with love for Him. Time seems to stand still as I communicate one-on-one with my Lord and I could easily stay in that place for hours. The same is true with athletes. You can tell when an athlete is simply performing the basics and playing the game, but you can also tell when that athlete is so zeroed in on the goal that he or she isn’t aware there is anyone else around them. All professions have those times when the practitioner locks in and nothing or no one will stop them. They are hypnotized by the prize – whatever that might be. When I need a motivational bump, I will often pull up videos on YouTube of different ones in just that very state.

As Christians, that is our reward – being locked in with God, being so in sync with Him that nothing else matters. It is during those times He speaks to us concerning situations in our lives, of revelations about others for whom we are praying, of future events. When we are in that private place (our closet, if you will), there is no sickness, no heartache, no pain, no suffering, no confusion. In God’s Presence is perfection, is peace, is calm, is healing, is release. It is when we close ourselves in and allow ourselves time to grow quiet – after we have prayed, after we have quoted every verse we can think of, after we have said our piece – that God begins to show Himself to us. There we find answers. There we find deliverance. There we find healing. There we find rest. In Him.

That is what Jude is urging us to do: to take the time, to MAKE the time, to get to know God as He knows us. Each time we enter that sacred space, we grow stronger. Each time we go beyond that veil, our love of God strengthens and deepens. Each time we allow ourselves time to let Him speak, our wisdom and understanding expands. And each time we deliberately, purposely cross that divide into His holy court, God gives us new weapons with which to go out and win the lost for the Kingdom. (Or, at the very least, He repairs and reinforces the weapons we already have.).

My friend, I encourage you to purpose in your heart to set aside time for God each day, to schedule Him in (if you have to), to forceably seek His face. Turn off the radio and television, lay down the newspaper or magazine, turn the notifications and alerts off on your phone, and just let yourself get lost in God. Maybe not every day at first, but do it once just to see what it’s like. Like any other skill or habit, it will be difficult for awhile. You will fail the first few times. That’s alright. Keep doing it, keep pressing in until it happens. No one will have to tell you when it does. You’ll know. Then, much like cutting a path through thick underbrush, the next time you come into this place it will be a little easier. Keep pressing until it becomes natural for you. After all, you want to spend eternity in heaven with God, so why not start learning the way to His throne now? You will find that, as you do this, not only will it get easier but it will feel more natural – like you were destined to spend time in this place, because truly you are. I remind you of the words of Jesus found in Matthew 7:23: “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Those words were spoken to people who had knowledge OF God and did His work, but they did NOT have a relationship with Him. Don’t let this be His words to you on that day, dear one. Come to Him now. Know Him.

Be blessed.