Why Do You Seek The Lord?

There is another point from chapter thirteen in Jan Johnson's book Enjoying the Presence of God I really need to address. Have you ever caught yourself praying to God hoping for a spiritual encounter, or because you wanted God to give you this gigantic Aha! moment? I have. It was after I had returned from the Walk to Emmaus retreat. The Walk to Emmaus is an awesome retreat, and if your church offers it, or is connected to an Emmaus Community it would definitely be worth your time to go. The Walk to Emmaus was a tremendous spiritual high. I felt so close to God over the weekend I just did not want the wonderful feeling of encountering God to end. In my prayer time I would try very hard to remember how I felt on the walk, and to open myself up inside to feel that presence of God again. However, gradually, the feeling lessened and lessened. Jan Johnson explains the point of constant prayer is to, "[b]e faithful in pouring yourself before God because God is the one you Love, not because you want stirring insights" (95). The Walk to Emmaus was a mountain top experience. However, we were not meant to live on top of the mountain. The trick is to remember who we experienced while we were there, and to rely on that remembrance of strength and energy while we walk through life's valleys.

Do you hear what I hear?

Probably not. Do you hear what I sometimes do not? I hope so. Jan Johnson's book Enjoying the Presence of God discusses hearing God in chapter 13. As a Christian living in a highly literate society it's easy to think if people would just read the Bible more the world would be a better place. However, I have discovered just because people can read does not mean they do it often, or enjoy reading. If that is the case it can be hard to hear God in Scripture. There are other reasons why people do not hear God in Scripture. Johnson's take on it really resonates with my situation.

"[S]ome find that God does not speak to them even in Bible reading. Perhaps that's because they read the Bible to meet an obligation, study for a class, or prove and opinion, but not to meet with God and hear Him speak. A. W. Tozer advised, '[The Bible] is not only a book which was once spoken, but a book which is now speaking... If you would follow on to know the Lord, come at once to the open Bible expecting it to speak to you. Do not come with the notion that it is a ting which you can push around at your convenience.' Instead of coming to the Bible searching for what we already understand or agree with, it's wise to approach it with the question, What do I need to know (88)?"

I do not always hear God clearly. As a seminary student you may think I should, but I don't. I too often get caught up in I have to read Luke for this class or I need to do a word study on the word melek for another class. What I am trying to unlearn from classes is the importance of spending daily time with the Word and with God so that I might be fed, instead of constantly looking to Scripture for something to deliver to a teacher, for a bible study and now for sermons. The Bible does not open itself up on demand. To really understand what God is saying is like trying to really understand what a girl friend, wife or significant other is saying. It takes time, and it means being in relationship.