Tag Archives: getting to know God

(I Samuel 25-27) Me Time, or Our Time

It’s hard to reconcile David, a man after God’s own heart, with the liar we read about here in I Samuel. David had placed himself in a difficult situation when he made himself at home with the enemy. It was easy to sin, surrounded by sin.

But my question is, why did he go there in the first place? God had proven Himself to be firmly on the side of David against Saul. David admitted God had delivered Saul into his hands – twice! David could easily have rid himself of the man who wanted him dead, yet David spared Saul both times, not wanting to sin against God or God’s anointed.

It sounds like, even after the obvious hand of God on his life, David was tired of running. And even though he probably knew God would continue to give him victory, David was weary of the battle, and didn’t see an end to his trouble.

He needed some “me time.” And he found it in the territory of the real enemy – sin. David learned you can’t surround yourself with sin and expect it not to rub off. And if you choose to live with the enemy, you are inviting some serious problems.

So, where are you living? With whom have you surrounded yourself? We are to go into the world and share the Gospel, but we are not to be comfortable there. What fellowship does the light have with darkness? The two cannot exist together.

What we read here in I Samuel is a very dark time in David’s life. I think the sad thing about it is, he is living with the enemy because of his lack of faith in God, who had only proven Himself faithful. Maybe God just wasn’t moving fast enough for David.

“Me time” is a popular concept today. And I’m not going to say whether or not I think it’s a good thing. I will, however, boldly say it is wrong if the “me time” moves you away from God, and closer to the enemy. You might be discouraged, weary, frustrated, disappointed, or burned out. And maybe God is nudging you to take a step back for a time. But, dear one, don’t use that as an excuse to dabble in the things of this world. Don’t allow yourself to feel at home with the enemy.

I’m not saying David was wrong to want to get away. The problem began with where he went. He didn’t go to God. Instead, he snuggled up with God’s enemy.

If you are needing some “me time,” spend it with God. Get to know Him better by reading your Bible and asking Him to reveal Himself. I would suggest you don’t go to self-help books or sit yourself in front of the TV, or turn to alcohol or partying or anything like that. I don’t believe there is any better “me time” than the time you share in a private encounter with God.

There is nothing sweeter than turning “Me Time” into “Our Time” with the Lord.

October 1; A Prayer God Loves To Answer

Matthew 3:13-17, 4:1-11, 18-22; Mark 1:9-13, 16-20; Luke 3:21-22, 4:1-13,5:1-11; John 1:29-51

Did it take much convincing for you to believe Jesus is God, and that He speaks the Truth? Maybe you aren’t convinced yet.

Two disciples of John the Baptist heard him introduce Jesus as, “the Lamb of God.” That intrigued the men, so they spent the day with Jesus, probably asking questions and listening to His teaching. They wanted to know for themselves who Jesus was.

The first thing Andrew did after spending time with Jesus was to find his brother, Simon, to tell him he’d met the Messiah. Andrew brought Simon Peter to Jesus. So later, when Jesus asked the brothers to follow Him, they dropped everything and followed.

Some people who say they don’t believe in Jesus have never really spent time with Him. Oh, they might read a few verses, maybe read the Bible from cover to cover. But if their heart’s desire isn’t to get to know Jesus, they won’t find themselves any closer to the Truth than before.

If you aren’t sure Jesus is who He says He is, I hope you’ll read these Scriptures with us today. But before you do, pray. Ask God to reveal the Truth through His Words. Open your heart and mind to understanding. That’s a prayer I know God loves to answer.

 

September 20; A Real Life Author

Psalms 111, 112, 117, 119:1-72

When I worked in the middle school, we invited one of our students’ favorite authors to come and spend a day with us. This woman had written a series of books about children which had captured the imagination of pre-teens all over the country. And she was coming to visit us!

The kids were in awe when that woman entered a classroom. I have to admit I was a bit awe-struck myself.

Here’s what I remember about that day. The students who had read the books were attentive, and asked great questions. It was almost like they already knew and loved her. They couldn’t get enough of this woman’s story. The students who hadn’t read the books looked bored, either didn’t participate or they asked silly, meaningless questions. And those who hadn’t read the books were the students who were first out of the door when class was over. The others had to be pried away from the author.

The author of Psalm 119 spends 176 verses writing about his love for God’s Word. He believes it, studies it, cherishes it, lives by it, considers it precious. The psalmist knows and loves the Author because he’s spent time reading and learning what the Author has written.

Sometimes I think we put so much emphasis on worshiping and serving God we forget to get to know Him. And the only way we can know Him is by reading what He wrote. I find that the more I read God’s Word, the more I love reading God’s Word. The more I get to know God through His Word, the more I love Him. The more time I spend in God’s Word, the more I want to worship Him in Truth, serve Him out of gratitude for the privilege of knowing Him through His Word.

As I look back on the day that real life author came to town, I realize some of the kids got to hear about her books, the plots and characters, through what other people said about them. But the kids who had spent time actually reading the books got to know the author, could understand the plots and characters because they had experienced them first hand on the pages of the books. It seemed they shared an inside secret with the author the others could not understand.

One day we will all meet the real life Author. Will I know Him as a result of having had the first hand experience of getting to know Him through His Word? Or will I look into His eyes and only know what others have told me about Him?

Well, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to hit “publish,” and re-read these psalms today. I’m going to spend some more time with the real life Author.