“I assume that an intimate, conversational walk with God is available and is meant to be normal.”- John Eldredge
In the Prelude (“Learning to Hear the Voice of God”) section of Walking with God, John Eldredge begins with a story about a family outing to cut down their Christmas tree. After praying and asking God for a good time to head out, John and his wife Stasi sensed God saying to go up the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
However, that message made no sense to them. John describes “that lingering unbelief that often passes for weariness.” In other words, the felt tired and thus objected to going that weekend.
As it turned out, the weekend they sensed God telling them to go turned out gorgeous. The weekend they actually chose?- not so much. That weekend consisted of a blizzard, a minus-ten wind-chill, and two flat tires. so, stubbornly insisting on doing things their way resulted in an ordeal.
Our assumptions, John notes, easily take us down the wrong path. For example, we assume God will bless our choices and vocation. And when that doesn’t happen, we lose heart. Furthermore, Mr. Eldredge states, we may not boldly voice these thoughts. However, the author asks you to notice:
- your shock when things don’t go well
- your feelings of abandonment and betrayal when life doesn’t work out
- that often you feel as though God’s not really all that close or involved
- that you feel God’s failing to pay attention to your life
In conclusion, John observes, assumptions either help or hurt us every single day of our lives. Because, our assumptions:
- control our interpretation of events
- supply a great deal of the momentum and direction for our lives
As a result, John emphasizes, we need an intimate, conversational walk with God.
Today’s question: What Bible Verses help you maintain an intimate, conversational walk with God? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Made for intimacy with God”
