OUT TO LUNCH WITH GOD

I just spent the most wonderful, precious time with the love of my life, the Lord. I can fall so prey to being busy. I have plenty of excuses to stay busy, but nothing in the world compares to sticking the “OUT TO LUNCH” sign on the doorway of my heart and entering into the presence of the Lord and abiding in Him. I cannot even describe the peace, the love, and the joy overflowing in my heart right now after I made the conscious choice, and concerted effort, to go on a get-away with the Lord.

What did I do? So simple. I had already studied the Bible today. I didn’t even take the Bible with me. I grabbed my brand new $10 beach chair from Wal-Mart, got a hold of my “God’s Notebook” with plenty of extra pages and a bright green pen, let all the doggies out into the glorious sunshine, and parked my behind down under the brightly shining sun and abided in the Lord.

To be most precise, I started praying, I started writing, and in my prayer and writing I cried out to the Lord. I shared with Him my burdens; I cast them upon Him. And I sought His face. I sought His voice. I listened. I opened up the ears of my heart, my spiritual ears, and listened to what He had to say to me. It was so joyous to have that one-on-one time with the Lord. So amazing to me that the Lord of the universe would have time for me – always, any time I seek Him. So awesome to know that despite decades of being rejected by mankind, that I can enter into the presence of the Lord God almighty any time I want and enjoy our relationship.

The Lord doesn’t always say easy stuff to me. Sometimes He says hard stuff. He’s the perfect Father. He loves me, but He also chastens me when I mess up and convicts me so I can be purified. He loves me too much to leave me in my mess. He draws me into His hold, bestows mercy on me when I seek His forgiveness, teaches me by His Word how to walk in His ways, and equips me with His Holy Spirit to be able to do what He calls me to do.

Oh, how magnificent it is to be loved by the Creator. How phenomenal it is to soak up His sunshine. How beautiful it is to feel the hot sun on my face and body and enjoy fellowship with the Lord! When I finished praying to the Lord and hearing the message He had for me, I entered back into my house and realized the incredible feeling I had in my heart.

I felt at home, as though I had truly returned to my home. Not my house, but my home. My home in the Lord. I went to the floor, face down, and enjoyed the strength of His grace. And realized that despite the busyness of this world, and the busyness to which I can be so easily prone, that it is my choice. My Creator, my Father, wants me to abide in Him – no matter what’s going on in the world.

Let me ask you a question, if I may. Where do you abide? Yesterday I asked a dear friend if she had been spending time with the Lord. She was weary. Her answer was quick. No, she had not. I encouraged her to go rest – to rest physically, and to rest in the presence of the Lord.

Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, will you make this a priority? Will you take the time to abide in Him? I cannot tell you how revived, refreshed, renewed, and restored I am right now. I pray the same for you, that you would hang up the “OUT TO LUNCH” sign on the doorway of your heart, and enter into the secret place of the most high – where you would spend time abiding in Him. Seek His face, pray to Him, study His Word, listen, and soak up the ever brilliant light, love, Truth, mercy, forgiveness, grace, and so very much more from the most important One in the universe.

The Lord!