2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

Do you have a place you go to talk to God? A place you go to open you heart to hear His heart? I don’t mean a physical place, like your bedroom or the kitchen table (even though having a prayer “closet” is a great thing too). I mean a place you go to in your heart and soul to linger with and talk to God.

I read a book by Eden and Brad Jersak called Rivers from Eden that says, “Your heart is God’s temple or home, a place designed specifically for meeting with him.” I know this may sound crazy but give it a chance and hear me out. God wants a personal relationship with you and in order to get personal you must spend time together and you must communicate back and forth.

If you sent a dozen text messages to your friend each day, you would be communicating with them but unless the communication goes back and forth, you really aren’t growing your relationship with your friend. You need to listen to what your friend has to say too.

It is the same way with God. You can go through your day shooting off comments to God like, “Thank you Jesus for this parking spot” or “Lord please give me wisdom to respond to my child” but unless you make time and create a space to hear what God is saying to you, your relationship will be very one sided.

So, take time to ask God where he wants to meet with you today. I like to close my eyes and allow him to present me with a visual scene. Sometimes it is under a tree on a pink and green blanket in a meadow with wildflowers next to a slow-moving stream, sometimes it is at a farm on a wooden swing under a big shady oak tree, and sometimes it is on a circular couch where we relax and recline to have our talks.

You should try it. Close your eyes and let God take you to a quiet place where you can talk. Then open the eyes and ears of your heart to have a real conversation and deepen your relationship with our living and loving God.

Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me and wanting to spend time with me. My heart is full of your glory and I long to linger with you today. Amen.