Linger with God This Fall
We often neglect our most important relationships.
God is with you, right now. Are you ignoring Him? He’s walking with you on the path He’s laid out. That’s why it’s the right path: His Son gave His life, and rose to life, in order to walk it with you. Are you in step with Him?
Here’s a simple way to become aware of and in step with your Father this season. You will want to get a journal (or your phone) to write your thoughts as you sit with Him. Think of your time with God in 4 R’s, spending a few minutes in each area:
Repent, Rejoice, Receive, Respond.
First, PRAY: “Repent.” Spend a few minutes recognizing the areas in your life where you are out of step with God: What have you done, or said, or thought, or felt, or not done, or done in order to make God owe you something, or hidden, or boasted about, or ______________ that is not pleasing to your Father. Be honest and specific. Ask Him for forgiveness, and tell him you want to turn from (repent) these things. Now, Rejoice! Yes, right now though nothing is actively different, rejoice. Rejoice and thank God for His forgiveness and grace, freely given to you in Jesus. Tell Him how grateful you are, even if you don’t yet feel it. He loves you like His very own son or daughter. Ask Him for strength to walk in new obedience.
Second, READ: “Receive” something from God’s word. Take a few minutes to read a chapter out of the Bible (if you don’t know where to start, try the Gospel of Mark). Stop reading when something jumps out to you. Write it down. No need to read any further. Take time to receive what God is saying to you now. Sometimes a question you have will stop you, or it might be that His words pop off the page as though He had a specific sentence in mind just for you. It might be something about God’s character that grips you. Note important words, themes, His train of thought. Take a second to rephrase or summarize what it is that has jumped out to you, and why. Now, “Respond.” What is it that God has for you to believe differently, or do differently, because of what you have heard Him say? Sometimes a truth will reshape the way you think, or a command will highlight an area of contrast in your life. Sometimes a relationship will come to mind. God is leading you to live differently for your joy and to reveal Himself to others through you. So go ahead, now that you are aware of His presence, walk in step with His leading.
Don’t let the Fall pass you by, ignoring the One who wants to walk with you in it. Let’s be a people who are aware of and in step with our God.
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