…Meet with God
// by Pastor Jeff
My wife Amelia and I have had the opportunity to travel overseas a fair amount. If you’ve traveled abroad you know there’s a lot that goes into being ready to leave – making plans, confirming reservations, packing bags, checking that your passport is up to date (ask us about that one), having a plan for what to do with pets, kids, lights, plants, cell phone coverage abroad, turning on the auto-response for your email. I know I’ve forgotten more.
The point is, we often think of readiness as activity — being prepared to do something. But in Scripture, readiness begins with being with Someone. Jesus says in John 15:4, “Abide in me, and I in you.” Jesus goes on to warn his followers that the world will hate them because of Him. But Jesus also promises he will send the Helper who will guide us in truth. Before fruit, before impact, there is abiding.
It’s easy to fill my day with noise and responsibility. Even good things — work, family, ministry, taking care of things & people — can crowd out the important work of knowing God, being with God. And over time, we begin to feel spiritually thin. God has not moved away. We’ve stopped drawing near.
Living ready starts here: making space to meet with God – not as a task to complete, but as a relationship to cultivate.
That happens in distinct times that we carve out of our routines. It also happens when we remember to see and talk to God in our routines. When you open (or listen to) the Bible, you’re not just gathering information, you’re encountering the living God. When you pray (quietly and intentionally, or quickly in the middle of something else), you’re talking with the One who knows you fully, loves you completely, guides you wisely, and empowers you perfectly.
And something happens through that intentional seeking. Your perspective widens. Anxieties loosen their grip. You remember what is true: You are not alone. God is not distant. Grace is not scarce. God “has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.”
More often than not, I tend to put off packing until the last minute (don’t ask us about that). I can end up rushing around, trying to make sure I’ve got everything I need. Readiness doesn’t begin with urgency — it begins with nearness.
So today, before you rush ahead, pause. Open your Bible. Speak honestly to God. Sit quietly for a moment. And through your day, make mental notes to “check in” with God – remind yourself of who God is and what you read (or heard) in his Word and in prayer; ask God to guide you into the next thing He wants to do; pray for wisdom, strength, faith, hope, peace, patience – whatever you know you need right then.
You don’t need a perfect plan. You just need to show up. Because the more you know Him, the more steady you become. Live ready — by meeting with God.