Day 12: Developing Your Friendship with God

Well, I don't have the advantage of a few hours before driving to rehearsal tonight (I left early Tuesday because I wasn't planning on having a 4 hour rehearsal, but today I wanted to finish grades at school), so I've read the entry, but I probably won't post about it until sometime after 9:30 PM tonight.

Tomorrow's the last day of the semester! I can't believe I'm officially halfway through the school year now. . . and this weekend is a four day weekend, with MLK on Monday and a teacher-duty day on Tuesday (it's for grades, but mine are done!!! :) so I'll be watching movies on my projector and cleaning up my room and office, because I have piles EVERYWHERE).

OK. Time to jet. Be back in 7 or so hours.

LATER: I am wholeheartedly in denial that I have responsibilities tomorrow (namely, teaching all day). I gave my final exams today and got all my grading done at school, so it's like. . . why do I have to come in tomorrow? Oh well. It doesn't make sense for me to take a day off when I don't mentally need it, and tomorrow will be an easy day (I'll probably just put my students on the pianos for half the class and just listen to music by request for the rest of it. And advertise band for next year, of course).

Did I mention how glad I am I went to the All County rehearsals? I got to lead a percussion sectional for the first half of rehearsal this evening (AWESOME) and then I just hung out with them again for full ensemble. I can't wait until I have my own band!!!

But for now, I need to get to the book so I can get to sleep. Hopefully I won't rush through this, but I'm starting it after 10 PM. . . yay full schedules!

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The whole opening of this chapter is really eye-opening. It challenges us to be completely honest with God. Everyone from Job to David to Jeremiah to Abraham all expressed their honest reactions to things that God did (and someday I'll link specific passages. . . hopefully this weekend). And really, when we look at our human relationships, aren't the closest ones where both people are 100% honest, never holding things back? It's those relationships with secrets or eggshells that tend to fall apart in major ways. An important point for me to think about: ". . . God uses everything for good in our lives." I need to think about any "hidden rifts" with God.

Obedience is the second (fourth?) thing here mentioned to make a deeper connection with God. We certainly don't "obey" our friends, but God isn't just our friend. We are not His equals (nope, not even trumpet players :-p). I love this statement too: "True friendship isn't passive: it acts." I know I can think of some passive friendships that I've been part of. . .they don't last. Either the person doing all the work finally loses it or, in the case of mutual passitivity, the friendship just fades away. Thankfully, no matter how frustrating we are, God will not give up on us. I know that all too well.

Third/fifth in the list of friendship cultivators is valuing what God values. I think everyone has gone to a movie, watched a sports game/team, listened to music, or otherwise subjected themselves to something that may not be their cup of tea because a great friend suggested it to them (or offered it as a chance to spend time together). Soon, in a close relationship, that often turns into a new interest for us because the friend cares about it so much.

Finally (have I used this in every entry?) is desiring friendship with God more than anything else. On the final flight down to Florida (the day before I started work at Taylor), I knew I was getting into something exciting and more importantly, something that I had not planned. I was reading one of the Left Behind books (it might have been the end of the 1st or the beginning of the 2nd one, I don't remember) and, if you're familiar with the characters, was really jealous of Bruce, the pastor who was left behind. I wasn't jealous of his situation, but of his passion and zeal for God and the Word and getting other people to realize what was going on. Right then, in my airplane seat, I asked that God would renew that fervor in me, give me that spirit and zeal for Him, and generally just reconnect my life to His plan (it wasn't worded that well, probably). And now, 5 months later, I've seen it coming true. It wasn't an immediate "HALLELUJAH" by any means. It started small; after trying a couple churches, I came to Stetson Baptist and liked it a lot, and heard that they were getting a new pastor soon. So I decided to stick around and see what that guy had to offer. Meanwhile, I got hooked up with my Sunday School class, which has turned out to be one of the greatest unexpected blessings thus far. I was beginning to read my Bible regularly too; I started in the New Testament with familiar things, and then started branching out (and am currently forging my way through the Prophetic books, although I've taken a step back and have been reading Romans because of it's application to this journey, and it's just a great book). Then I was really impacted by the first Sunday I heard Pastor Dan preach (see previous entry, link to come soon). Then I started to get convicted about things. I threw away the bottle (yes, it is what it sounds like, but I'll spare details for now) and joined the church, and finally got baptized. For me, although it was long in coming, it was perfect in timing, because it was an opportunity for me to recommit my life to God publicly. And it's only been (overall) on the rise since then. Things aren't perfect, and I'm still workign on stuff, and I don't quite "get it" yet, but I know I'm on the way, and it's close.

Now that it's almost 11 PM-

Point to Ponder: I'm as close to God as I choose to be.
Replace God with any other person (especially family), and I think you'll realize the same holds true. The difference is that God's love is not unpredictable, but it is truly unconditional.

Verse to Remember: James 4:8a- "Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you." New Living Translation
Often people cry out to God, wondering why they feel alone, why He's left their presence, what they are doing wrong that He is not with them? Well, first of all, He is always with us and watching over us, and second, we are probably doing something that is pushing God away from us, when we get right down to it. I know I can think of a couple examples in my life where, looking back now, it's like. . . duh! Don't expect God to be close to you as you break His commands and disregard His law.

Question to Consider: What practical choices will I make today in order to grow closer to God?
One thing that I've been trying (though I don't know how practical this is) is imagining Jesus sitting or standing in a room while I'm doing something. Doing that reminds me the kind of attitude I should have and to incorporate Him into my questioning, reasoning, and responding.

I apologize for the lack of links and potential spelling/grammar errors. I'll go back and edit later, but for now I need to get to bed.