Welcome to Blog Hop Thursday post .
Today is blog hop day at the online Bible study I am a part of. So today my post is using one of the topics they provide . The study is from the book A Confident Heart by Renee Swope.
I have chosen the topic of "A Setting for Two" because it sounds so personal and deep.
Renee says in her book that she has a chair in her room where she can get away from the distractions to meet with Jesus . The scene is set in her description of how the place is arranged for convenience with her resources available for her devotions. I can relate to her setting as I have my own place to sit and spend time with Jesus to renew my heart and get a new perspective on my days past and the one I am about go through.
I was challenged to think about what it might be like if I could see Jesus , he is always here with me, but what if I could actually see him? My place to meet with Jesus is my sunroom. The set up is a couch and a bistro table and chairs to my right and off centered a bit for the purpose of enjoying the large window and the light coming in . Now for the challenge: I wanted to have a visual of where Jesus would be seated if I could see him. The purpose Renee had in her sharing this with us had nothing to do with complicated seating arrangements. ;). But some how I began to go to that place where my concerns were about Jesus being comfortable if I could see him. I know it sounds funny and maybe ridicules to you . It does to me as well. The next step in my process of this was what is he doing as I sit here in my sunroom and I cannot see him? I think it is wonderful that now my thoughts go to what Jesus doing. I am usually so into my thoughts about what is happening in my life, my husbands life, my children's lives, how I feel mentally or physically, why I can't seem to do this, or that. I don't usually think about what Jesus is doing, where he might be in these quiet times. I am being brutally honest here and it is a bit uncomfortable. How can it be that I come to this quiet and peaceful place, not to mention a place God blessed me with, with the purpose of meeting with Jesus and not even give a whole lot of thought to Jesus the one I am seeking to fill my deepest needs??? I am almost shocked at this.
Now I don't want you to think that these quiet times of devotions are not ones of spiritual feeding that bring me great blessings and understandings . They are and I do come away with new insights and understandings , peace, joy and more. They bring me back morning after morning to a desire to meet and be filled again . I feel the loss of connection and spiritual uplifting when I miss those quiet times. But I have some new thinking to do . I believe I will begin to start my time within my "Setting for Two" acknowledging my guest , my savior, the lover of my soul in a whole new way.
Lord Jesus this morning you have once again used this online Bible study to open my eyes of understanding . I am so thankful for your gifts that come through this study and the women who have learned sitting in their special places of devotion with you. I am excited, Lord Jesus, to begin today to picture your presence with me and not just feel your presence . I am excited that you have given the physical senses for a purpose and that I will now seek to see you here with me in my mind's eye and be more aware of your great love to me . In Jesus I pray , amen .
Psalm 8:4
What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?
Today is blog hop day at the online Bible study I am a part of. So today my post is using one of the topics they provide . The study is from the book A Confident Heart by Renee Swope.
I have chosen the topic of "A Setting for Two" because it sounds so personal and deep.
Renee says in her book that she has a chair in her room where she can get away from the distractions to meet with Jesus . The scene is set in her description of how the place is arranged for convenience with her resources available for her devotions. I can relate to her setting as I have my own place to sit and spend time with Jesus to renew my heart and get a new perspective on my days past and the one I am about go through.
I was challenged to think about what it might be like if I could see Jesus , he is always here with me, but what if I could actually see him? My place to meet with Jesus is my sunroom. The set up is a couch and a bistro table and chairs to my right and off centered a bit for the purpose of enjoying the large window and the light coming in . Now for the challenge: I wanted to have a visual of where Jesus would be seated if I could see him. The purpose Renee had in her sharing this with us had nothing to do with complicated seating arrangements. ;). But some how I began to go to that place where my concerns were about Jesus being comfortable if I could see him. I know it sounds funny and maybe ridicules to you . It does to me as well. The next step in my process of this was what is he doing as I sit here in my sunroom and I cannot see him? I think it is wonderful that now my thoughts go to what Jesus doing. I am usually so into my thoughts about what is happening in my life, my husbands life, my children's lives, how I feel mentally or physically, why I can't seem to do this, or that. I don't usually think about what Jesus is doing, where he might be in these quiet times. I am being brutally honest here and it is a bit uncomfortable. How can it be that I come to this quiet and peaceful place, not to mention a place God blessed me with, with the purpose of meeting with Jesus and not even give a whole lot of thought to Jesus the one I am seeking to fill my deepest needs??? I am almost shocked at this.
Now I don't want you to think that these quiet times of devotions are not ones of spiritual feeding that bring me great blessings and understandings . They are and I do come away with new insights and understandings , peace, joy and more. They bring me back morning after morning to a desire to meet and be filled again . I feel the loss of connection and spiritual uplifting when I miss those quiet times. But I have some new thinking to do . I believe I will begin to start my time within my "Setting for Two" acknowledging my guest , my savior, the lover of my soul in a whole new way.
Lord Jesus this morning you have once again used this online Bible study to open my eyes of understanding . I am so thankful for your gifts that come through this study and the women who have learned sitting in their special places of devotion with you. I am excited, Lord Jesus, to begin today to picture your presence with me and not just feel your presence . I am excited that you have given the physical senses for a purpose and that I will now seek to see you here with me in my mind's eye and be more aware of your great love to me . In Jesus I pray , amen .
Psalm 8:4
What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?
Hi Liz! I love your perspective on quiet time! There were two things you wrote that really caught my attention and got me thinking: "How can it be that I come to this quiet and peaceful place, not to mention a place God blessed me with, with the purpose of meeting with Jesus and not even give a whole lot of thought to Jesus the one I am seeking to fill my deepest needs???" and "I believe I will begin to start my time within my "Setting for Two" acknowledging my guest , my savior, the lover of my soul in a whole new way." Thanks so much for linking up on the hop and being so open and honest. God really spoke to me today through your words.
ReplyDeleteKatrina Wylie (OBS small group leader)