First Posted August 2002

​SITTING AT THE FEET OF GOD

Think back with me, if you will, to story time, whether in school, the library, or at home, when you gathered around with your friends to listen to a teacher, parent, or whomever, read to you. If it was a good book you sat and listened intently while the characters in the book embarked on adventures, investigated mysteries, or played their favorite games. It was usually a fun experience and sometimes you begged the reader to read another book when they finished the first one. You enjoyed sitting there listening and being entertained.

Today, as adults, we usually sit in front of a television or in the theater if we want to be entertained. Sometimes we read books, but no one reads to us anymore. In fact, quiet, relaxing times are a rarity in these busy times in which we live.  We often get so caught up in our activities that we run from one to the next without leaving ourselves time to catch our breath, let alone spend some time just relaxing. Our souls need a time of relaxing and so do our spirits. It is in this quiet time that we can find ourselves refreshed by the presence of the Lord. Our Father Yahweh longs for us to come sit at His feet and allow Him to share Himself with us. He has so much to teach us. He desires to read to us from His Word. He desires to tell us how much He loves us, so much so that He sent His Son to redeem us from our sins. He desires to reveal to us the Truth about Who He is and who we are in Him. He desires us to take time out of our busy schedules to get alone with Him so that we might learn from Him and become all that He desires us to be.

I can hear your thoughts right now. “I don’t have time to accomplish all my responsibilities. How can I take time to sit and do nothing? There just aren’t enough hours in the day to relax. I’ll get behind if I even think about it.” Yes, I’ve wrestled with those same thoughts for many years. In fact, to be truthful, I still wrestle with them. Even now, as I write this newsletter, I am wrestling with my thoughts about needing to pack for a last minute trip out of town. However, I can choose not to allow the thoughts to win. You can do the same. It’s amazing how much you can accomplish when you set aside time to be with the Father. He created this thing we call time. He knows how much we think we need to accomplish and how much we really need to accomplish in the time that we have. It’s not His goal to prevent us from doing what we need to do. It is the Father’s desire to show us what we need to do and what we don’t need to do. The only way we can learn this from Him is by spending time with Him. He’ll show us what is important and what is not. Most importantly, He’ll show us what He desires for us, if we’ll just take the time to ask Him. And, if He desires something for us, and we desire what He desires, "Then you will delight yourself in Adonai, and he will give you your heart’s desire."(Psalm 37:4*) Thus, we will accomplish all that truly needs to be accomplished, and the rest will remain undone because it wasn’t supposed to be done to begin with or is supposed to be done at another time.

The Father has given us a Perfect Example of how to spend time with Him - His Son Yeshua. The Scriptures tell us about Yeshua’s time alone with His Father. “And after He had sent the multitudes away, He went up to the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.” (Matt.14:23) “But He Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.”(Luke 5:16)“And it was at that time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.”(Luke 6:12) Yeshua spent time alone with His Father because He knew that His Father desired Him to do so and because He knew that He needed to do so if He was going to be able to accomplish all that His Father desired Him to accomplish. If we, too, desire to accomplish what the Father desires us to accomplish then we must choose to go to the ‘wilderness’ to pray.

The writings of King David reveal that he, too, knew the importance of spending time with the Father. “Thou wilt make known to me the path of life; In Thy presence is fulness of joy; In Thy right hand there are pleasures forever. (Psalm 16:11)

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Thy presence, and do not take Thy  Holy Spirit from me.” (Psalm 51:10,11) We will be able to discern the Father’s path for our lives as we dwell in His presence. We will find joy in His presence. He will renew our spirits in His presence. How can we not spend time in His presence!?! As I write this I am excited about spending time in His presence and I sense His Spirit encouraging me to do so. I pray that you receive that same encouragement as you read this.

Once we choose to set aside time to be alone with the Father we can spend that time praying, reading His Word, singing, dancing, walking in the midst of His creation, ... The choices are many. You’ll be delighted as He makes His Word come alive in a way you’ve never known before. Scriptures that you previously thought were dull or boring will have meaning that you never recognized. Your spirit will be touched by His Spirit as He “speaks” His heart to you. He will open your eyes and your heart to the Truth of His Kingdom. He will give you all that He knows you need in order to be all that He desires you to be.  What God demands, God provides.
There is no set formula or program to follow. You just have to choose to make your relationship with your Father Yahweh the most important priority in your life. He sent His Son Yeshua to die for our sins in order for us to be able to have this relationship. If you have not accepted this Gift of Life into your life, then we encourage you to do so. “Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” (Acts 3:19)As your relationship with the Father grows and you allow Him to reveal more of His heart to you, He will reveal to you His desire for all people to share in His love for His People Israel. He created Israel out of all the peoples of the earth to be His special people. If we truly love the Father then we will truly love His People Israel. And if we truly love Israel - His People and His Land -  then we will stand for them against their enemies and we will intercede on their behalf, that what the Father has desired and designed for Israel will come to pass. “He truly loves the peoples - all his holy ones are in your hand; sitting at your feet, they receive your instruction, the Torah Moshe commanded us as an inheritance for the community of Ya’akov.” (Deut.33:3)*

From The Bridegroom

Exalt My Name, come into My Presence and exalt My Name. I Am your God and I desire to be exalted by My creation. Continue to seek My Face. June 14, 1988

*The Complete Jewish Bible.
NIV