Really walking with God as opposed to keeping God at the margins of my life.

      I have a relationship with the living God.  It's only possible because of what God has done to make it so.  By His grace He saved me and adopted me.  And now, we talk.  Many times He does most of the talking.  Please understand that I know its His voice because of the Holy Spirit who lives in me and the total agreement of His voice with His Word.  
     He speaks to me in the morning, at high noon, in the afternoon and evening.  Sometimes in the middle of night.  I hear His voice while riding my bike (actually both bikes) when I sit up in bed to read my Bible and drink coffee, while I'm watching volleyball, football in the stands or on TV.  Anywhere and everywhere there's communication.  
     The other day I was sitting in the stands at a football game trying to enjoy the unfolding drama.  But while I was trying to watch football I was wrestling too.  Wrestling, not as a sport, but as a metaphor for struggling with my thoughts.  God interrupted my angry and frustrated thoughts to bring a very important message.  I mentioned it Sunday and it went something like this..."Your pride disgusts me."  Don't misunderstand.  The message wasn't, and could never be, that I disgust God.  Any displeasure God might have in me was taken away in the cross of Christ.  It's the pride that continues to find life in me, that is in my sin nature, that's offensive to God, and a problem in our relationship.  I have an arrogance that needs to die.  God speaks to the issue.  I know the voice was God's because His assessment was true.  And honest look inside confirmed it.  Pride was killing my joy in the Lord.  The Spirit helped me see.  And I know from the Word of God that He hates pride.  In several places the Bible uses words like, "God honors the humble but brings down the arrogant."  Look for similar phrases as you read His Word.  And note in the biblical stories how pride and arrogance ruin lives.  
     This is how a relationship with God works.  He speaks.  We listen.  He might interrupt what is normally a pleasurable experience.  There might be some wrestling and honest soul-searching.  But this is our greatest joy and privilege in life...to know and walk with God.

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