Seated in my favorite chair, the one by the glass doors where the sun’s rays shine on it each morning, prayer journal in my lap, I begin to write. I put words to the feelings in my heart, to the One who captures all my tears. The thoughts come quicker than my hand can pen them. The words become increasingly illegible, the words like groans only God could understand.
Then I hear the door bell ring. Packages have begun to arrive for this year’s homeschool. The delivery man places the large box at my door and walks away.
I remember, as a child that you had to sign for a package when it was delivered. These days, they ring the bell and leave, never waiting for a response. I open the door to retrieve the box and start to wave at the gentleman, but he walks briskly back to the truck, with no notice of me.
Isn’t that how I am with my prayers to God? I present them, neatly packaged, labeled properly in the ACTS fashion, and then walk away.
How often do I actually wait for His response?
How often do I just sit in His presence and enjoy being with HIm?
Not enough.
When I don’t just sit in His presence, I miss out on the beauty and wonder of knowing Jesus and the depths of His love for me. I miss out on the limitless fountain of joy that comes from drinking from the pure water He provides. I miss out on Him.
Instead of treating God like a candy machine- inserting my payment of good deeds and waiting for Him to release delectable joy into my waiting hands-what if my heart desired to only be with Him? What if my relationship with Him was about knowing Him instead of about Him blessing me?
Because after all, that is why we were created-to enjoy the same love the Trinity has enjoyed with one another for all eternity. God desires that we partake in that same love, and join in their dance of self-giving, other-serving, sacrificial love. He wants to show us the dance moves, teaching us how to love as He loves.
With the package delivery interrupting my prayers, I sit back down and pause in my writing. Instead, I meditate on this truth: “I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.” John 17:23
Do you need to bask in the joy of just being in His presence?
“More is available to us in Jesus Christ than we dare imagine. There’s more to Jesus Christ than we’ve ever dreamed. We experience so little of Him when we approach Him only with requests. We taste so little of the mouth-stopping, complaint-ending, desire-deepening awe that His presence creates when we think more about our problems and how to solve them than about meeting Him. We experience so little of the joy that sustains us in suffering and the hope that anchors us amid shattered dreams when we come to Him looking for the pathway out of hardships instead of the pathway into His presence.” -from The Pressure’s Off by Larry Crabb
Linking up with:
Word Filled Wednesday and Intentional.Me
Oh, yes.
His presence is the only Living Water that truly satisfies.
Thanks for lifting Him high today, Christina!
And *love* your new look!
Thank you! Yes, only He can satisfy-may we all savor the taste of that water. Blessings!
You are so right, Christina. I often feel like my prayer times are more about me pouring out my heart to God rather than waiting on Him to respond and speak to me. This is a reminder that I need. Thanks so much for a great word of encouragement!
Thanks, Beth! May we sit longer and wait to hear Him. Blessings!
Why hello! Love your new home decor here, Christina!
It goes well with the heart I see through your words shed here.
And girl, are you ever right. We are on a similar journey lately. . . striving with you to savor Him. to drink Him in…Just Him.
You’ve given me much to ponder. Thank you!
Thanks, Nikki! It’s so nice to journey together:) And to just be with Him.
wow…I just saw Nikki response…I had not noticed before…but I like the new design:) Yes…listening…in human relationships we don’t like to be in conversations with someone who talks the whole time…never listening…I have heard it said…God gave us one mouth and 2 ears…I always thought of this in terms of me with others…but maybe more importantly…it is best to use the 2 ears for Him:) I like that Larry Crabb book.
Thanks, it was time for a new look:) I think I may own all of his books:) Blessings!
I love this post! So convicting, so true and beautifully written!
Where do you get your homeschool curriculum from?
Elise@GodsAmazingBlessings
Thanks! I use My Father’s World (www.mfwbooks.com). So glad you stopped by!
So true…I love the quote and his book. Now for the grace to actually savor Him.
It is an amazing book. And amazing truth. May He shower us with grace!
So true and so convicting. Being a Mary in a Martha world ( a book I am reading right now). I want to wait for Him more. I love what your friend Lisa wrote, “oh for the grace to savor Him more!”
Blessings friend and oh, so excited for you for your big box of fun! I can’t wait for the school yr to begin!!
I’ve read that book too:) Mary knew where her Source was and that’s where I want to be, with Him. Blessings!
I’m slowly learning that God is not a candy machine. For so long, I though as long as I did everything just right, my life would be “just right”. I’m realizing that is SO not what it’s about. Like you said, I just want to be in His presence and know Him. He loves me as much now as he ever did and ever will. Nothing I can do will change that.
Mary Beth
PS I host a weekly linkup called WIP (Work In Progress) Wednesday. I would love for you to join us!
You too? So thankful for grace that accepts me despite my love of candy. And thanks for the invite:)
Me too!!
Glad you decided to come over and Link up!
Mary Beth
Such a beautiful post. Very well put with the analogy of the delivery man. {At least yours didn’t toss the package at the door before his exit.}
Thank you:) It’s true, they do throw them sometimes don’t they?:) Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Christina!
I’m hopping over from GDWJ and your photo of the daises hooked me! Thanks for sharing your sweet thoughts about enjoying being in the presence of God. There’s no short-cut to intimacy with Him.
Hugs from VA,
Susan
So true, no short-cut at all. Thankfully, He’s there waiting when I turn back around. Blessings!
Love the connection there. Sidenote: at a business, you still have to sign….so perhaps that could add to your illustration. Only when it’s “official business” do we wait for a response from God. Thankfully He has a way of swallowing us with a fish to get our attention. But it’d smell a lot better if we truly listened the first time.
Annnyways…great new look! Summer is crazy busy, I’m doing good to read and post…kudos on the re-design!
Shows how long it’s been since I’ve worked in a business:) And, as always, your comment made me smile:) Thanks for stopping by!
True trust in God comes not in the laying of our burdens at His feet and leaving, but in the staying in His presence, fully submitted at the throne of grace.
Yes. Amen! Thanks, Duane!
So true… great analogy! Thank you for this sweet encouragement. I am getting my boxes of homeschool stuff in too… so exciting. Love the new site, looks beautiful!
Oh, thank you! Change is good I think:) Blessings!
I love your photos! Divine. Is that near you? That top photo?
No, it’s where we went on vacation. S. Florida is probably as flat as Iowa:) Wish it wasn’t!
Elizabeth, I’m still “down the rabbit hole” a little – daily I get little bits and pieces of me back. I would never have thought seven days of sleep would lead to this – the body recuperates quickly mind seems to be a more elusive recovery – and the heart – and the spirit. Anyway, one of the packages during this time that I have signed for, and appreciated, was that you were there to read some of what these weeks have been to me. And basking in the glow of the ONE who is the only God – who is our God – that’s the gravity the keeps pulling me through the “there and nowhere.” into the “here and now” – and also people like you – thank you for this. Today, there has already been – and will be more basking – and God bless and keep you and all of yours.
Oh - and sorry - I know you’re Christina - I am always “this close” to messing up your name ever time with Elizabeth from “just following Jesus” - 3 syllables, Jesus in the blog name - and this time I did. Told you I’,m not quite all the way back yet
Forgive me. 
You make me smile:) No problem, I mix up my kids names all the time:) Thanks for stopping by, Craig!
Thank you for your wisdom. And for your photography. Your wise words plus beautiful photographs are a sweet balm for the soul. Thank you for all of this today.
You are so very kind, thank you! And I’m so glad you stopped by!
Like your new look Christina. One of my favorite things to do is just sit with Him, no agenda or clock to watch, no list of things to ask for, just worship, adoration and listening. It’s usually life changing for me. Wish I could say I do that every day, but I don’t. Your heart radiates a desire for Him that is lovely.
Thanks, Shelly! Yes, just to sit and adore Him…it fills the heart and satisfies the soul. Thanks so much!
Oh, how I want that - to desire only to be with Him! How wonderful and glorious a thing that is, but so fleeting! My heart always forgets that He is the best thing, convinces me to seek after other things. I make prayer an item on my to-do list rather than letting it be the highlight of my day. I go through my list of prayer requests, pray for all my friends, but forget to listen and rest. So much truth in this post. Thank you for sharing!
Yes. I agree with your way of approaching this thoughtfulness. Thanks much.
Here from Faith filled Friday….beautiful post….and yes yes yes to everything you said.
Christina, thanks so much for linking up with the True Vine Challenge. I loved your analogy of the UPS guy and prayer, simply leaving our ACTS on the door step without taking the time to dwell in His presence. Good stuff!