Do you want to hear from God? Our heavenly Father longs to have a personal relationship with each one of us. Part of having a relationship with someone is communication.
Dialogue with one another is a vital part of a relationship.
Imagine trying to have a relationship with your spouse, children, employer, and coworkers without dialogue. Think about it—if you go a day without talking to others around you, how do you think that would work for you?
I don’t imagine it will turn out very well and if it continued for too long, we would end up isolating ourselves from others. That is not God’s design for us. He created us to be in relationship with one another and with Him.
Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth as a man. During His time on earth, He demonstrated to us how we are to live. He made it a point to meet with his Father on a regular basis.
“Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed” (Mark 1:35).
Do you set a regular time to wake up early enough to have a regular appointment with your heavenly Father?
About 18 years ago, I set my alarm to wake up early enough to spend a half hour reading a Scripture passage and pray before I had to prepare for work. It has been through those regular appointments that I’ve learned to hear the voice of God.
Our Lord wants to guide every aspect of our day. When we learn to talk to Him and listen for His response, it will become so natural to us that we begin to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). He will even show us where those lost keys are, which fruit or meat to pick out at the market, remind us of upcoming appointments, and guide us in the details of lives as well as the big issues we face.
If you desire that kind of relationship with God, it starts with an early morning appointment. Set your alarm clock to wake up to meet with the Lord before the sun comes up in a solitary place. Take your Bible, a notebook, and pen. Read the Word and write down passages that speak to you and what you gleaned from it.
I encourage you, if you’re not already doing this, if you set an appointment to meet with the Lord every day this year, you will begin to hear Him. Because I have been meeting with Him consistently for years, He shows me His love for me and guides my steps. Therefore, I never want to miss my appointments with the Lord!
Will you set up your regular appointments with the Lord this year?