Connecting with God

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.    — Psalm 63:3

In his book Objects of His Affection, Scotty Smith shares his journey of learning to personally experience the passionate love of God. As a young boy, he lost his mother suddenly in a car accident. Because of this, he closed off his wounded heart to others — including God. Several years later he received Jesus as his Savior and began to learn the truths of Christianity. Yet his relationship with the Lord in those days was, as he described, “side by side rather than face to face. Important, but not intimate.”

Do you ever feel that way? You talk to the Lord a little bit, read His words in the Bible, but don’t sense a passionate connection with Him like that expressed by the psalmist David in Psalm 63. Scotty suggests ways to overcome the obstacles to intimacy, from which we may glean these two ideas.

Live honestly. Open up to the Lord about the pain of your losses and admit your failures. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8; see also 1 John 1:9).

Ponder and believe the Scriptures about God’s character and His longing for you. “Your lovingkindness is better than life” (Ps. 63:3; see also Ps. 139 and Eph. 1:3-6).

Being close in a relationship takes time and effort — even when it’s with the Lord.         — Anne Cetas

I must put my relationship

With You, O Lord, I pray,

Above what may distract me from

Time spent with You each day. — Sper

READ: Psalm 63:1-8

God pursues us in our restlessness, receives us in our sinfulness, holds us in our brokenness. — Scotty Smith

The Bible in one year:

• Genesis 31-33

• Proverbs 6:1-11