Face Time with God

While the world is scrambling, trying to flesh out solutions to our economic crisis, our natural instinct to is to turn up the heat and start working harder, longer, and better. The thought of carving out more time to something other than work may seem a bit farfetched. More then ever, though, it’s time to get away with God. There hasn’t been a more crucial time to seek His face and draw deeper into the wellspring our relationship with Jesus.

Of course, we know that this translates into more time—time that you feel you may not have very much of. I would like to point your attention to Exodus 33:7. This scripture describes how Moses

“Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the tabernacle of meeting. And it came to pass that everyone who sought the LORD went out to the tabernacle of meeting which was outside the camp”

Everyday, Moses needed to get away from it all—especially the drama of people’s affairs, problems, complaints, gossip, frustrations, and disagreements. Moses was basically pastoring a large group of stubborn people who were spiritually shallow, socially high-maintenance and financially irresponsible. To make matters worse, they had an “on again, off again” relationship with God.

A real life “show of hands” would unquestionably reveal that we all know and come into contact with people like the ones I just described. Moses knew that if he spent all his time in front of the people, their demands would drive him crazy and influence his relationship with God. Sometimes you have to get away from all the drama and get alone with God. Moses pitched his tent “outside the camp”. In today’s terms, he silenced his cell phone, went offline, ignored text messages, took the evening off and got alone with God. Moses went to a place where people couldn’t bother him, demand from him, challenge him or confuse him.

Here’s a principle you need to remember. The more time you spend with someone, the more like them you become. People rub off on us. It’s not that you necessarily try to become like them, but as time goes on, you’ll pick up certain traits, words, habits or attitudes. And if we’re not careful, their negative attitude will become ours; their opinions will become ours; their way of dealing with conflict will become ours; their likes and dislikes will become ours.

However, if you spend more time in God’s presence, guess who you will become more like? His power will become your power. His love will become your love. His peace will become your peace. His will, will become your will.

Consider Jesus for a moment. Luke 5:16 says, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” This wasn’t something Jesus did occasionally, whenever he was in a bind, or whenever he prepared to preach. This was a common practice, a discipline. Jesus loved people and he loved to interact. But even the Lord had to get away from human drama in order refresh his spirit and recalibrate his purpose. Even Jesus had to isolate himself, clear his mind and connect with God.

God will honor your time and heart when you get away with him. Exodus 33:11 says, “So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.” Everyday, Moses blocked out precious time to be alone with God—not simply out of routine, but out of passion. What happened in that small tent of meeting was incredible. The Lord spoke to Moses face to face.

Notice the scripture says, “the Lord spoke”, not “Moses spoke”. It’s one thing for you to talk to God and vent all your feelings, concerns and complaints. But it’s quite another thing for God to vent all his feelings, concerns and yes, even complaints to us. Sometimes what we call “prayer” is nothing more than a one-way conversation. After you’ve said all that you wanted to say and unloaded your heart, you get up thinking that you’ve talked to him. Rather, all you did was deliver a speech, a monologue. Hearing what God has to say requires more time, silence and openness.

I’ve heard just about every explanation for what it means to come “face to face” with God. Some will suggest that it’s the volume of your shout and clamor of your tearful praise that brings you face to face with God. I don’t know how you talk with your close friends. But I certainly don’t need to shout, dance or do jumping jacks to carry a heart-to-heart conversation. What I do need is an authentic, open heart.

Life is full of distractions and drama. Don’t let those things, or people, cheat you from getting away with God. The more time you spend with the Lord, the more he’ll bless and expand His holy influence in your life and in the lives of those you come in contact with. Moses’ first tent of meeting had enough room for just him and God. If it were a car, it would have been a two-seater. But later on, God gave him plans to build a much larger tent of meeting for the nation to connect with Him. Remember, what you build in private, God will increase in public. The time you spend with God “privately”, will affect what He does “openly”.