Deepening Your Relationship with God 

I actually had to go back and count, but we haven’t been able to physically worship together for 6 Sundays. For me, it’s been since March 1st, Confirmation Sunday, since I was in Lubbock on March 8 at Encounter with the youth. I look back of the last part of 2019, in November I had two continuing education trips – one to Chicago and one in Tampa for the National Youth Workers’ Convention. Then it was Thanksgiving, Christmas, Youth Ski Trip, then school and Confirmation both started on January 7, and the Confirmation retreat in January. Fast forward to Sunday, March 1. It was such a meaningful and beautiful service as 28 kids were confirmed. I wouldn’t say I felt a lot of pressure from November 2019 – March 1, 2020, but it was definitely a busy season for me professionally.  

Pressure begins at an early age. We have pressure from school, extracurricular activities, getting into the right college, and starting a successful career. Then add the pressures of marriage and raising a family. Our busy lives consist of lots of pressures. If you’ve ever felt pressure, most likely, you have had to add your priorities in the mix. We all have priorities. Priorities keep us grounded and can be a useful guide to when we respond to the pressures in our lives.  

I know a lot of you are probably feeling pressures like you’ve never felt before. Pressure to work from home while also helping teach your children as they continue virtual learning. Pressure of not being able to see your family and friends. Pressure to wear a mask or to not wear a mask, and the list goes on.  

During this time, I have heard so many stories of people finding more time to do the things they love, have always wanted to do, or taking time to be grateful for so many things they might have taken for granted. My daughter Faith uses writing and music in times of lament and praise, and on Saturday she wrote about having to miss her Junior Prom. “As today was the original prom date, I have had time to think about the implications of not being able to attend my junior prom. It is sad, but I know that I’ll definitely cherish next year’s dance and make it memorable. To me, this green dress represents the fact that no matter how much you plan, no matter how unlikely things may seem, life will always be unexpected. It means to never take any day for granted, because now, “maybe tomorrow” now means “maybe next year.” The dress that I was supposed to wear tonight is now in my closet, forcing me to stop and think about what really matters. Nonetheless, I know that this isn’t the case for everyone.” 

King David was a man who understood what it was like to live in under pressure. He served Saul after Samuel anointed David king, fought Goliath, and became a commander in King Saul’s army. When Saul became very jealous of David and discovered that the Lord was with David, Saul became even more afraid of him, and he remained David’s enemy for the rest of his life. Due to Saul’s fear and jealousy of David, Saul tries to kill him. David fled from Saul into the wilderness [1 Samuel 22:5].  

In Psalm 63 he sees himself in a spiritual wilderness thirsting for God’s presence and a place of refuge. It’s hard to imagine if I were under the kinds of pressure David faced at this point in his life, I would be writing songs. If I did the song would probably contain desperate requests: “God help me or God please get me out of here!” In Psalm 3, David did write something very similar to this. 

However, in Psalm 63, we see David in a spiritual wilderness thirsting for God’s presence and a place of refuge. Psalm 63 gives us a glimpse of a man after God’s own heart. David gives us an example of how we should all seek to have a deep, intimate relationship with God. Psalm 63 shows us that David’s priority was to seek the Lord. Seeking God should be our first priority.  

I know the pressures you might be feeling during this time, are like nothing you’ve ever felt before, and they are most likely changing each day. When you having these feelings, seek after God. What does it mean to seek after God? To seek after God means to develop an intimate and personal relationship with God. This relationship is one that is ongoing.  

There are ways you can develop a deeper relationship with God: 

• Spend consistent time alone with him. 

• Be honest with God because our souls our longing for God, even when we don’t know actually how we are feeling. David recognizes this when he says “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you.” In Romans 8:26-27 says “26And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. 
• Make God part of your everyday life.         

One of the ways I have grown closer to God after reading Psalm 63 is finding some of my favorite songs that remind me of Psalm 63. I made a Spotify Playlist. You could find it here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2878DidDhBblvR1L2lFrn5?si=GiNlV1Z6QCCduLZy7wILRA 

Questions: 

1. What does it mean to you to seek after God? 

2. Have you been spending more time with God over the last 6 weeks? 

3. When is a time you’ve been the most honest with God?