Feb 07, 2011 Communion With God: Appearing Before Him
Originally posted on August 19, 2004
“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God?” Psalm 42:2
This verse is one of a thousand verses on communion with God in the Bible. The writers of the Psalms, along with the prophets, and the apostles wrote of their experiences in personal, deep heart communion and communication with God. When we read them, our hearts are stirred to want more of what they had.
The good news is that we can have their experience. God wants to meet with any and all who call upon His name. He has not limited His communication to the souls of people to Biblical times. In the words of John Stott, “God still speaks through what He has spoken.”
The psalmist asked a question, “When shall I come and appear before God?” God invites us to appear before Him everyday.
People pray and listen to God’s word in a variety of ways and in different places. It is the daily experience of communion with God in private prayer and meditation on Scripture that I want to write to you about for several weeks.
My own experience has been that daily communion with God is the single most powerful means of grace He has used to get me through the most difficult and stressful seasons of life. Alone with God is where I most often drink from the deep well of His love for me. Daily Scripture meditation and prayer has helped me fight temptation like no other weapon in the arsenal of warfare. Daily prayer has kept my heart soft toward people. It has refreshed my passion for life and ministry. Through communion with God, I have developed a greater gratitude that has lightened my mood.
I could easily share a hundred benefits from regularly “appearing before God.” I hope you will begin, or recommit to, the daily experience of communion with God.
What You Must Have For Communion With God
A personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. Without turning to and trusting Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sins and make you right with God, you will never seek or experience deep heart fellowship with God. Jesus removed the separating sin between God and us by paying its penalty on the cross. Jesus opened the door to the room of fellowship with God. Faith walks through the door.
The Holy Spirit. When you come before God to meet with Him, remember that the Holy Spirit lives in you and helps you understand God’s word and formulate your prayers to the Heavenly Father. God’s Spirit is your guide to fellowship with God.
A Bible. God does not speak to us audibly, nor is God dispensing new information about Himself to humans. God spoke through the writers of the Bible and His continual speaking to us is the application of the Bible to the current condition of our souls. This is what the Holy Spirit does with the Bible.
A response to God in prayer. Whether silently in the mind, with spoken words, or in writing, the soul responds to God and His communication to us by communicating back to Him in prayer.
Time. Praying at all times is no substitute for communion with God at a specific time each day. Without some fixed time for intentional communion with God, I doubt anyone will continue in a spirit of prayer very long. As you spend time with God, your soul will determine the length of time. When you taste the goodness of God, you will want more and you will schedule the time needed to get more.
What May Help Your Communion With God
A journal to write thoughts, prayers, and insights.
A prayer list to guide your prayers for others.
A prayer book to help you pray with purpose.
A song book to help you worship God.
Other books to help you grow spiritually.