Atmosphere

"The more we create this atmosphere, the more we make 'us' a temple He adores to inhabit, the more we become attuned to His voice, the easier it is to hear Him."

CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE of worship and the Lord will speak to you. Create an atmosphere that He desires to inhabit, and He will fill your room. He is not a silent partner, nor there to give us once-in-a-while wisdom. But daily, hourly, at any and every moment, He is within us, His presence flooding our kitchen, our car, our home office. We say, “Good morning, Lord,” and He replies, “Good morning.”

He delights in us. He desires us. But we must decide to give Him first place. We must choose to become aware He is with us. This requires turning some things off. Which is more important to you? The Savior speaking, the Presence of the Spirit of God, and the Father walking with you wherever you go, or that television drama you just can’t give up? A million things distract us, and I get it, we are living lives on earth. Children and grandchildren draw our attention. Meals. Housework. Employment. But did you know it is possible to have Him speak to you in the midst of that?

The atmosphere we create in our heart comes through what we place in it. When we are squeezed, what comes out? The Word of God or a complaint? When we deal with people, are we full of compassion or quick to turn aside? I get that, too. Some people are FRUS-trating. But God will give you patience and mercy as big as His if you ask. And even when our flesh wants to rise up and take over, when our mouth has run too much, He will speak. Often, to draw us away, to refocus.

“If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.” (Mark 4:23)

It is not that He is not speaking but that we are not listening. It's all in your heart-set. Not your mindset. Your mind gets in the way. God has all of my heart. I daily give Him my words and my actions. I have determined to seek His face in everything. He doesn’t need the minutiae, but He will help you through the minutiae. (Asking Him what brand of breakfast sausage to buy is a bit ridiculous, but if it aggravates you, He isn’t beyond filling your heart and mind with peace over it.) Jesus lived on the earth. He understands the pressures here.

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit so that we could come boldly before the throne to find grace in time of need, so that we could worship wherever we happen to be, in our actions as much as our songs, so that He could be a Father to us, and a Friend, and a Brother, and the King. So that we could talk. Prayer is communication, and it is meant to be holy. That is the atmosphere we create. We choose to raise clean hands and to pray from a pure heart, to honor Him as God. But we also are ourselves. He loves every part of you. He designed you, and the way you do everyday things is just fine to Him. If it isn’t, when you stay aware of Him, you will know, but there will be no condemnation in it.

“And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.” (Luke 11:2)

And here’s the best part. The more we create this atmosphere, the more we make “us” a temple He adores to inhabit, the more we become attuned to His voice, the easier it is to hear Him. What He says will never cross with the Word of God but will be filled with the personality of God, that gentle, loving nature, filled with laughter and joy that drew all men to Him. He isn’t distant and far away. He is calling us. We must stop being deaf, and living as if that is normal. Stop thinking that the preacher hears from Jesus, but not us.

No, He is speaking to you. We will hear Him when we begin to listen and let go of those things that get in the way. You’ll want them less the more you do. He’ll become so much more important, and that is exactly where He ought to be. A daily God, who died for you and me, so that we could walk and talk with Him in the garden as He intended.

“But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” (Luke 8:15)

Image by eommina from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com