Checking in...

Something I love about being in a relationship is the constant text messaging. I'm not certain he enjoyed the constant text messages, but I certainly did! You know, the good morning text and the good night text and all the messages in between that, for the most part, served no other purpose than to let the other know you were thinking about them? It is an essential part of any real relationship in 2013, right up there with making things "facebook official" (oh my!). It's just plain old nice to have someone to share in those meaningless moments of life like: "I'm wearing my new earrings" or the frustrating situations like: "This payroll may be the end of me" or sweat nothings like: "I miss your face." Thanks to technology we can even text pictures of our lunch with the caption "yummy, peanut butter!" None of these messages seem all that important, but at the moment it feels like heaven to have someone who cares enough to not only receive, but delight in responding to those meaningless text messages. There are very few people whom I text randomly through out the entire day, every day, every week! I just don't have the time for that, unless of course you are tall, dark and handsome. In which case, text away and please include a picture text message of your handsome face!

Now don't mock me for turning this into something spiritual, but it was on my mind this morning so I thought I'd share....

How often do you check in with God each day? I'm not talking about sending Him meaningless text messages. I'm talking about inviting Him in to every moment of your day. I think there is something to be said about communicating with Him through out the day - not just to tell Him what you need or what You want. Connecting with Him to tell Him you love Him and share with Him your feelings about little details in your day. You might be surprised the way He listens and how well He responds.

There was a time in my life when my only communication with my Heavenly Father was to ask Him for something. Sometimes I was lucky if I even got around to talking to Him in a day. How pathetic is that? No wonder my life was so full of fear! My Father has been diligently working to transform my heart (it's God-sized job) and one area of my life that shows significant evidence of this is the area of communication with Him. Our conversations have changed. Changed because I have changed. God is no longer my good luck charm to get me through rough days. He is my Companion, my Helper...He is the One who delights in receiving and responding to me every moment of every day.

I first noticed it when I would wake up in the night and I would be praying. I'm not even sure how to describe it to you, but it isn't uncommon for me to whisper to Jesus in the middle of the night. Before you start thinking I'm off my rocker...I'm not alone in this - King David talks about the same experiences...you may call me crazy - but I'll take the company of King David on this one.

"At midnight I rise to praise you, because of your righteous rules." 

Psalm 119:62

"My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night." 

Psalm 63:5&6

"By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life." 

Psalm 42:8

Sometimes I feel like I never stop talking with Him! I wake up and my thoughts are on Him, I drive to work and we are chatting away with one another, and at various times throughout my day my thoughts are turned toward Him. We laugh over my ridiculousness and over those "did that really just happen to me?" moments. He reminds me of His love for me and all the promises He keeps for me. I'm either schizophrenic or this is what it looks like to be in a real relationship with the God of the universe! I suppose to the outside world it may all sound a little crazy....I don't care.

Which brings me to something else incredible - we have direct access to GOD ALMIGHTY! Just take a moment to let that sink in. I am the princess of the Most High God and I can come running into His throne room at any moment of any day and He will hear me. He knows all I'm about to tell Him, but He delights to be a part of all those little moments in my day. I mean, in light of eternity, does it really matter that I have my new earrings on? Of course not, but He delights to hear me thank Him for something as simple as earrings.

One day Mr. Prince Charming will be blowing up my phone with random text messages (and I will love every minute of it!), but until that time Jesus has taught me to be content with life just as it is. Perhaps allowing the text messages to stop for a bit was His way of reminding me He wants my full attention and enjoys it when I check in with Him randomly throughout my day.