It's a relationship

I read this blog post today and it made me think. We are all created unique, and we don't all approach God in the same way. We are all in different stages in our lives, and sometimes our walk with God takes different forms. 

For the past 29 days I have been writing about the importance of time with God. As I have reflected on what it means to abide in Christ, I have become convinced that the only way to abide well is to be with Him. Constantly. This means being in His word. It means praying. 

But not all of us can have dates with God like Abby did, even if we wanted to (I do!). I do think dates with God are an amazing way to be with Him. But as Diana says on her blog, "All of the ways we choose to worship our God are lovely to Him. As long as our hearts long to spend time with Him and seek Him out, I don’t think God keeps a scoreboard of who did what on what day."

She is so right in pointing out that a relationship is personal and unique. We don't (or shouldn't) compare our relationships with our husbands or kids with other people's--they are uniquely our own. So what if you don't get up at 6:00 and spend an hour praying? You might pray all day long in the quiet of your own heart. You might have a wonderful walk in the evening before dinner or a quiet few moments in the car on your way to work.

The point is that you are with Him. Consciously, deliberately, choosing Him above the other clamoring voices in your life. For many of us (like me), that can't happen very well unless I start my day with Him, just the two of us alone. But when that doesn't happen, can I still spend the day with Him, abiding in Him throughout the day? Of course. 

It is still a choice. But it isn't a formula. It's a beautiful, love-filled relationship, and your unique approach to Him will delight Him far more than your attempt to keep "the rules."

You can sing His word all day long in your car. You can pray while you are washing dishes. You can journal letters to Him. You can write down one verse and carry it with you throughout the day. You can dance or play your guitar or teach or change diapers or sit at your desk with Him.

The beauty of true abiding is its dailyness. The more we practice it, the more ordinary it becomes. But it is never dull. 

And I still say: the more time we spend with Him, the better we know Him, and the more like Him we become.

“However strong the branch becomes, however far away it reaches round the home, out of sight of the vine, all its beauty and all its fruitfulness ever depend upon that one point of contact where it grows out of the vine. So be it with us too.”

― Andrew Murray, Holy in Christ

Day 29 of Abiding: 31 Days of Resting in Him

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