An Open-Door Policy

Lately, I have been reminded more than once about the need to find time alone with God, encouragement to make this a priority daily. I’ve seen the reminders in print, heard the words in a sermon, and song. 

As disciples, we are the great cheerleaders of gathering. We are gatherers of people, excited to come together to share in a joy and love for our God. We encourage one another to be in worship, join a small group, serve on a team… These are incredibly important elements in our discipleship and without a doubt, we need to gather together, learn, and serve together in His name. But the picture is not complete without quiet, alone time with our great God. We have an open invitation from the very God that spoke to Moses from a mountaintop, split the sea, and resurrected our Jesus from the tomb. We’ve been invited into his presence for a personal relationship.with.God. He has an “open-door” policy designed especially for each of us to come often and individually. We can’t miss out on this. God is waiting for us to open the conversation, “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you” Jeremiah 29:12-14

When we can’t or won’t take the time to make prayer/devotion time alone with God, there’s a problem to be dealt with. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his book “Life Together,” reminds of the pitfalls of only finding God in community.

“Whoever cannot be alone should beware of community. Such people will only do harm to themselves and to the community. Alone you stood before God when God called you. Alone you had to obey God’s voice. Alone you had to take up your cross, struggle, and pray and alone you will die and give an account to God. You cannot avoid yourself, for it is precisely God who has singled you out. If you do not want to be alone, you are rejecting Christ’s call to you, and you can have no part in the community of those who are called.”

As we move forward, one step at a time, on our journey, may we remember to gather one on one with our Father in heaven regularly, intentionally, and thankfully.

Tammy