daily spiritual reflection
BIBLE READING FOR THE DAY: "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation." Psalm 91:14-16
THOUGHT: "Relationship with God" is a difficult concept. First, God is invisible. Second, his voice and presence works in myriad ways making it hard for us to discern how he speaks (this is usually a problem of him speaking a lot and our confusion turns it into him speaking scarcely). Lastly, God is often wrapped up in the societal context of religion instantly making any relationship we have with God inadvertently political, controversial, and potentially taboo. So why relate to God? From today's passage, it seems the benefits far outweigh the consequences. Not only would we be living out an inner ache to know our Creator, but we would also receive a friend who relates to us based on love.
This passage from the Psalms is probably from David, one of the earliest kings of Israel. One thing that sets apart David from his Old Testament counterparts is his relentless pursuit of a God who loves him. Even when David messed up (Psalm 51; 2 Sam:11-12), he was able to appeal to God through a relationship grounded and cultivated in love. It seems, this changes everything. Out of love and acknowledgement, God will rescue us. When we call, God answers. God will not only answer, but he will rescue us from our problems and honor us for simply reaching out to him. It's almost as if God acts like a loving parent that answers a 3am hardship-related phone call with grace and mercy, not punishment. In fact, God often does not even need that phone call to be laced with apologies as much as the phone call itself represents a humbling act that God recognizes. We have a God who answers us when we recognize his true identity as Love. So why not take risks using that truth as our shield? In this love, we can be broken without shame and we can be transformed without manipulation. It's a love that frees us and sets us on a right path.
CHALLENGE: Try to relate to God through prayer. If this is something new or if you're a bit rusty, then pick an amount of time that you will pray so you do not get overly anxious with how the time is passing. Anticipate for the first 2 minutes to be a bit loud as "alarm bells" go off about unfulfilled to dos or relational struggles. Keep at it until you reach a bit of a stillness. Talk to God about the moment you have felt most loved in your life. Then ask God where he was in that moment and how that experience of love relates to his love. Try different modes of talking. Journal, speak out loud, speak internally, draw. Don't be afraid to write down or conceive of God's response to your questions or comments. No one is about to publish your journal (just yet). With that freedom, explore a few ways we can talk to God.
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