How much time do you spend with God? Are you the type that only spends time with Him on Sunday, from entering the church doors, till leaving? Or are you the type of person who spends more time, other than just Sunday?

 

We often, as believers can sometimes become so frustrated with our christian experience when things either do not go the way we would like, or we are disssappointed when our spiritual life seems to suffer. We are left "wanting more". We often wonder why is my spiritual life so dry? Why do I feel so far from God?

 

We need to ask ourselves though, "do I spend enough time with God?" "How well do I know Him intimately?"

 

If your answer is, "I feel dry", theres something we need to consider in this. You see any relationship requires work, whether a friendship, or a marriage, or any kind of relationship. If you have a close friend and you never spent much time with that person how good would you think that relationship would be, how "healthy", etc.? You could also apply this to a marriage! How close would you and your spouse be if you almost never spent time with each other, how well would you know the other one? Chances are, not too well!!

 

If you want to be closer to God, then ask yourself, what do I do with my time?

 

Lets do a little "fundamental" excercise. Now first let me say I am "wanting" in my math skills, so please bear with me me here.

 

Lets "break our time down".

There are approximately 168 hours in a given week. Lets take the average person. The average person works about 40 hours per week. That leaves you with 128 hours of time left. Now lets say that as the "average person" you sleep about....let's say...56 hours per week. That would give you 8 hours of sleep per night (so we'll subtract 56 from 128). So that would leave you with 72 hours per week left. Now let's take into account that there are unforeseen things, such as going to the store, eating meals, emergencies, "down time", etc. So with this said we will subtract another 36 hours. That would be about 17.5 hours for meals and 18.5 hours for the "down time" and the "unforeseen".

 

So with this said that leaves you with 31 hours left. So ask yourself this, "what do I do with this 31 hours?" Do you spend it with the one who gave you unconditional love and eternal life? Getting to know him better? Do you spend half of it, part of it...... or any of it with Him?

 

You see we often become so "frustrated" with our spiritual lives, but do we realize that the closer to God we are the more satified we will be? Now of course this does not mean that everything will be great all the time (in our life), but there is a peace in having a strong intimate relationship with our Father, even through "trials and tribulations". The "human factor" will always be there, things will not always be perfect, but we do not have to be out of fellowship with Him! And we certainly do not have to be alone!!!

 

Someone once told me, in reference to my relationship with Jesus, "you use this Jesus as a crutch". My reply? Of course I do, I need Him everyday of my life (and what a wonderful peace in knowing this)!!!

 

The more time you spend with God, in prayer, in reading, in studying and "meditiating" on His word, the more you will know Him better!!!

 

Consider this. The Bible says that "contentment with godliness is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6). This can only come by getting to know Him better!!!

 

Let's take David for instance. David wrote most all of the Psalms.

 The Psalms really give us a picture of how much David loved God and was close to Him.

 

 ^"How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
       How great is the sum of them! 
       If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
       When I awake, I am still with You."

 

                                                   (Psalm 139:17-18 NKJV)

 

 

You see we all are in need of a close relationship with God. Just as we are in need of Him for salvation, we are not made to "operate" independent of Him!! We need Him everday of our lives!!!

 

It so easy to become frustrated with all the things around us that "draw" us away from our Lord and savior. We all want to be closer to God, but we must also take the time to do so. We are such a "get it now" society that we do not want to take the time it requires to work at anything, including knowing our God!! we read "how to" books, we "skip" reading the instructions. We seem to want to do anything to avoid putting in the effort!!

 

Its sad that when it comes to our Father that we often put Him in the same category. We seem to forget that God has feelings also!!! How would you feel if the one you love and want to have a relationship with you, wants things from you, but wants little to do wth you? Would your heart not be broken?

 

You see God loves us with such an "immeasurable love" that we will never fully comprehend it. He redeemed us, to worship Him, follow Him, to save us "from ourselves". He also wants us to have a relationship with Him!!!

 

Think about this, Jesus was relational was He not? Did He not live with the "common man", "woman", the "down trodden" of society etc.? Was He not part of their lives? Not just merily a passing stanger?

 

You see as believers in Christ we need to remember the trinity. Three persons in one; God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. We need to undertsand that The Father is as "relational" as the Son!!!

 In fact Philip once questioned Jesus about the Father, he wanted to see Him: 

 

 ^"Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us."                                             

                                                               (John 14:8 NKJV)

You see we can gather much from reading the gospels about what our Heavenly Father is like. Jesus said, "if you've seen me, you've seen the Father". Jesus was very relational, if we know this to be true than we know that God is relational also. He wants a "close" relationship with us!!!

 

The question is, are we too busy to spend enough time with Him, to get to know Him better? Or are we actively  spending time with Him. Not only on Sunday, but every day of our lives!!!

 

The question is, do you want to take the "shortcut" and be left "wanting" more? Or are you willing to take the time and get to know your Father better?

 

So take the time you need to get to know the one who loves you with a "deep immeasurable love"!!!

 

And remember this.....when you spend time with Him, do not do all the talking, listen too!!!