I was blessed recently with a short but very sweet visit from a good friend of mine. I have known her since I was a teenager but we had not seen each other for at least 25 years. She came to know the Lord and I rededicated my life to the Lord in the same season. The moment we first saw each other, she said it so perfectly: “I feel like I have lived three lives since I last saw you!” Between marriages, divorce, children, etc... so much has happened in our lives yet there we were. It was strange how much we have both changed while yet at the same time, it was as though time stood still. It felt so good to sit with her as we talked about as much as we could possibly catch up on in the short time we had. But there is one thing neither of us talked about. Neither of us unloaded about our struggles or challenges in life. That would have taken from the joy of the moment if we had. We all face challenges and taking a problem to a trusted friend is not a bad thing but sometimes we just need to lay our struggles aside and simply enjoy being with the other person.
This caused me to think about friendship with Jesus. He cares deeply about the concerns of our hearts, more than you and I realize, but even more, He longs for the affection of our hearts. So often we go to Him only when we have a need but He desires so much more. Just as we have those moments of joy, just being with our friends, He too wants to share in that joy, the joy of simply being with you! Isn't that amazing? If we truly think about that, it is overwhelming. I can remember one day I was praying for my kids, over financial issues, etc...and the Holy Spirit showed me that I was actually being quite bossy. It's not that I meant to be bossy but my prayers were full of demands: "Lord, do this...", "Lord, I need this...". The Holy Spirit was reminding me that He was not my personal servant but that is how I was treating Him. In my immaturity, I had become so "me" focused that I began to take Him for granted. What good is a one-sided friendship? It's no friendship at all. God is a help in times of trouble but He wants to be so much more than that! He wants to be your friend.
A friend is one attached to another by affection or esteem according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Moses was known as a friend of God. In Exodus 33:7-9 Now Moses used to take [his own] tent and pitch it outside the camp, far from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting[of God with His own people]. And everyone who sought the Lord went out to [that temporary] tent of meeting which was outside the camp. When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the door of the tent, and the Lord would talk with Moses. A few things stand out to me in these verses. A camp speaks of an encampment of travelers or troops, in the original Hebrew language. This speaks of many people. Moses took his tent and put it up not only outside the camp but far from the camp, far from the gathering of people. Here's a way to look at it in our world today: Moses took his tent, (of meeting with God), and pitched it up outside the church. He met with God outside of the gathering of believers. I am not saying we stop going to church. I am saying we need to meet with God not just in church or just in the fellowship of other believers, (which is important) but we need to pitch our tent and meet with God alone, far away from the distractions. We put so much focus on what happens in church, on getting a "touch" from Him when we should be having our very own tent of meeting with God all week long where we touch His heart. That is where real relationship and intimacy with Him grows. That is where maturity as a believer happens. God talked with Moses. Talking to someone and talking with someone are two completely different experiences. I can talk to my children. "Don't forget your laundry." "Don't forget to do your homework", etc...I can remind them of things and give them information but there is something special about connecting and talking with them.
In my own life, I can think of numerous amazing experiences I have had in church meetings but not one compares to my own intimate time with Him. Yes, we are to pray for one another, and lay hands on one another, and encourage one another but I believe the deepest growth happens in the secret place. We should be arriving at church ready to pour out because all week long we have been with God, have touched His heart and now we are full. Instead, we show up empty. There's no reason for us to show up empty because we have an endless supply! I can't tell you the countless times I have seen the same people in a service stand up front for ministry, for the same problem every week. They came back the next week with the very same issues in their lives because they didn't take time during the week to go to the source for themselves. In my immaturity, I once was one of those people. I wanted the pastor to do it for me or the prophet to do it for me but I am responsible to plug into Jesus for myself. I am not saying we don't need pastors, teachers, and prophets. We certainly do but we must plug into the Holy Spirit and do it every day not just on Sunday. I am responsible to get what I need from Him. No one else can do that for me. No one else can do that for you. He wants an ongoing relationship with you. He wants to meet with you. He wants to talk with you. He wants to dream with you. Adam walked with God in the garden. That's not something you do with a stranger. That is something you do with a friend. He wants to build a habitation with you, not just a visitation. He wants friendship.
We must come to understand that He is longing for our affection. Verse 11 And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. I believe a sign of maturity is when we stop seeking God just to meet our needs but begin to seek Him to simply be with Him because we have a longing in our hearts to touch His. He already knows our needs. Do we know His? When you see a friend what do you do? You say "Hello!" or "It's so good to see you." Then you ask "How are you?". When was the last time you asked the Lord what was on His heart? When was the last time you asked Him what His needs were? We think because He's God He has everything. Does He have your heart? If not, then He doesn't have everything. Have you ever asked Him "Where do we stand in our relationship Lord?"? I have to admit, that is a scary question. Have I been too distracted? Have I ignored Him? Am I keeping my distance? Have you considered your relationship with Him from His point of view? "Lord, have I truly made you the most important person in my life?". 1 Samuel 16:7 ...For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
It's not about what we can do. It's not about how much we know. It's having affection for God and deeply knowing Him and His affection for us. He's not far off. The Kingdom of God is at hand. It is accessible, it is that close. Everything you need in God's Kingdom comes through relationship and revelation and we get revelation through relationship. There's no earning or striving. It comes through relationship. John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. Take time to be with Him today. Have your own personal tent of meeting. Walk with Him. Talk with Him and let Him talk with you. He's reserved a spot just for you!
Psalm 25:14 says this: There’s a private place reserved for the devoted lovers of Yahweh, where they sit near him and receive the revelation-secrets of his promises. - TPT.
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