Challenge: A Summer Date!

Since I promised to “spur you on” as you persevere in your walk with the Lord this summer, let’s first pause for a moment and think about why anyone would consider taking a spiritual vacation.

You or I would never think of putting our family, friends, or work on hold for a season. Can you imagine saying to your children, “Save that conversation for the next three months.” Or to your boss, “I’ll be back in the fall.” Or to your friends, “Next status update: when the kids go back to school!”

And yet, we might say to God, “I’m taking the summer off.” Why? Could it be that He’s just not that important? Or is your relationship with Him that shallow?

If I asked you, “Why do you study or read the Bible, pray, or go to church?” What would you say? Do you do those things to know more about God? Or do you do those things to know God more? Is there a difference? I believe there is.

The difference lies in the relationship. For example, there is a statue in downtown Round Rock, Texas. I don’t know anything about the statue, except that I like it, and I had my photo taken with it.

I could read the sign beside the statue and  learn a little about it, the man, the artist, and probably even the dog. I could visit the historical society and learn even more. Eventually I might become an expert on the statue.

However, since there’s no relationship with the man – he’s a statue! – it would be quite easy to walk away from my fact-finding activities for the summer. Let’s face it, backyard picnics, and trips to the beach, even taxiing children from one activity to the next are more exciting than studying about or spending time with a statue that is not important to me.

And if I left and came back next week, next month, or even next year, he’d still be sitting here waiting for me, right where I left him.

Does this describe your relationship with God? Is He simply an entity that you sing, study, and talk about, but can walk away from at any time because you know that when you come back, He will still be sitting there waiting for you? Is your relationship so shallow that you won’t miss spending time with Him?

If so, may I spur you on to get to know God more deeply! If you know Him more deeply, you will enjoy being with Him! If you enjoy being with Him you would never think to take a vacation without Him. In order to know God that well, you must come to Him, spend time with Him and listen to Him.

“Come and listen to what the Lord your God says. Today you will know that the living God is among you.” – Joshua 3:9 – NLT

My challenge to you is this: Make a daily (or at least weekly) date with God; just the two of you. Keep the date and enter into a conversation. Ask Him questions about Himself, and then listen to His answers. He will speak to you through the Bible and through His Holy Spirit within you. Think deeply about what He reveals to you and meditate on His character. In other words, I challenge you to fall deeply in love with God this summer.

After all, God says:

“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.” – Jeremiah 31:3 – NLT