Hanging Out with God

[bluidkiti]

Hanging Out with God

Read Psalm 1:1-3

Jesus went up a hill to pray and spent the whole night there praying to God.
-Luke 6:12 (TEV)

WHENEVER my son or daughter spends a lot of time with one friend, they tend to start behaving like that friend and adopt some of the friend's mannerisms. Because of this, I try to encourage them to spend time with friends who model good behavior.

In a similar way, I'm hoping that if I spend time enough with the Lord, others will see godly mannerisms and behavior in my life. So I attend formal worship with my faith community and participate in several small-group Bible studies. Since that doesn't make up for one-to-one time with the Lord, I also try to spend time every day in prayer. Even though Jesus was constantly about his Father's work, he also spent time praying - sometimes all night long.

Spending personal time in prayer is one of the best ways to spend time with God, to open ourselves to God's influence in every area of our lives. The Bible tells us that we will be blessed when we choose carefully whom we spend time with and allow to influence our lives (Ps. 1:1-3). I spend 40 hours a week with my co-workers; and if my closest friend is God, I can have a positive influence on their lives.

Sue Cohen (Texas, USA)
Prayer
Father God, thank you for giving us ways to be with you at any time and for as long as we like. Help us to reflect the influence of your presence in our lives. Amen.

Thought for the Day
Is my closest companion a godly influence in my life?

[MajestyJo]

The Loveliness Of Silence

No one's ever heard a butterfly,
It cannot speak nor sing,
It just hovers quietly around,
And shows off its pretty wings.

Each tiny wing - a masterpiece,
Of intricate design,
With hues that blend and complement,
So tranquil and refined.

And no one's ever heard a firefly,
Turn on its tiny light,
Without a click, it flips its switch,
And makes no noise in the night.

And there it is, in all its glory,
Its wee light flashing off and on,
Until it disappears in silence,
Along with moths across the lawn.

And what about white fleecy clouds,
That aimlessly drift by?
They help us dream of things unseen,
Though we can't hear them in the sky.

Like soft meringue, they peak and hang,
Soundlessly above the ground,
They tantalize our seeking eyes,
We watch in awe; they make no sound.

Puffs of smoke from chimney tops,
Come skipping through the air,
Gentle breezes make them dance,
What lovely visions there.

But we can't hear a puff of smoke,
Nor can we hold it in our hands,
But we can watch it float away,
Silently across the land.

First snow of Winter on the ground,
Untouched, unmarked, pristine,
Lace-like frost on window panes,
Crystal icicles that gleam.

Impressive beauties, everyone,
That inspire men to whisper,
To not disturb the reverie,
Of such a wondrous mixture.

A white, full moon on a still, black night,
With a host of silver stars,
Free to see and wish upon,
And spend lovely, quiet hours.

In splendid stillness, lies that night,
With peaceful beauty there,
Which forces one to bended knee,
In grateful, silent prayer.

A baby's smile, a sleeping child,
A napping cat upon a lap,
Pleasurable and treasurable,
All silent joys that entrap.

True, a picture's worth a thousand words,
Though it never makes a sound,
It communicates in ways unheard,
And lasts forever and beyond.

It's the lovely, silent things we see.
That our ears will never hear,
That speak loudly to our listening hearts,
Distinct, succinct, and clear.

We're grateful that God gave us ears,
To hear His awesome sounds,
Yet the loveliness of silence,
Is wondrous, too, when it is found.

Virginia (Ginny) Ellis
Copyright January 2005
used with permission