Day 21 Knowing Him


Jeremiah 9:24 ESV
But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

Is there a person in your life who just "gets" you? They know how you are going to react in just about any situation. They get your sense of humor, know your values, and what your pressure points are. God wants us to know Him like that.
To know someone that well, you have to spend time with them. The Bible tells us about God, but to truly know and understand Him, you must make an effort to be with Him. He wants you to know Him so well that you will see Him working in every circumstance. You need to understand Him, so you can represent Him in every situation.
There was a short time in my life when I would take a day, once a month,  to spend with God. I had no other agenda except to be with Him. It wasn't easy, and it was some time before I could do it comfortably. I'd get into my prayer place and get tired, my mind would wander, and my body would get restless. But as I stuck with it, it got easier. Those times were some of the most rewarding times I have spent with God. When my schedule changed, I stopped making the effort to do that. I still spend time with Him every day but haven't set aside hours to do so like before. So, this year, I have added it back into my schedule. My goal is to schedule 6 hours once a month, just hanging out with Him.
 If this seems a little excessive to you, think about the time you spend with friends.  Even though you talk to them just about every day, you still set aside time to get together for lunch, shopping, or just hang out. Why not do the same with God?
  It doesn't have to be 6 hours like I've committed to, but make it longer than your daily time with Him. You don't have to spend that time in your prayer closest if you don't want to, but try to be somewhere with no distractions at first. After a little practice, you can take Him to lunch or walk in a park together.
 Finally, don't give up. Even if you feel like your just sitting there by yourself, God is there. You may not feel Him or see Him, but He is delighted that you carved out a special time to be with Him. Remember Hebrews 6:11-"He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him."

Exercise in Delight:  Schedule time to hang out with God next month.  Treat it like any other important appointment you would have.  Chat with God about what He would like to do with you that day.  And be expecting a surprise or gift from Him that day.  He loves doing that kind of thing.

Extra Delight!:  Take a vacation with God.
Plan a weekend to pray and play with Him.  If you need some help planning this, I wrote a blog It's Time for a Personal Retreat you can read for some tips.  I also have a printable retreat guide you can personalize and use for your vacation with God.  It is available as a PDF download at jodelights.com   



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