For twenty minutes this afternoon my barber and I had an eye to eye conversation while never looking at each other. The entire conversation was conducted with both of us looking in the mirror. I suddenly realized this was the way we always have spoken to each other. An eye to eye conversation would make getting the haircut to be very difficult for the barber.
During a lull in the very banal conversation I thought about our conversations with God. They aren’t eye to eye. We couldn’t handle that. Moses wanted such an experience, but God informed him he would die if that happened. Exodus 33. What we can have are heart to heart conversations. We can tell Him the truth about how we feel about our jobs, our families, our social status, our heart’s desires and our heart breaks. Just as there is no formula for talking to a friend there is no formula for a heart to heart with God. Don’t tell Him you love Him when you are angry at Him. He already knows. But if He already knows then why bother? We need to talk to Him for our sakes, not for His. He is already aware of every tiny detail of our lives. But by our talking to Him we give Him an opportunity to talk back. That’s the important part. Listening to Him is so important. Often we pray and run off to the rest of the day’s tasks. Sometimes His still small voice can’t be heard over the television, the car radio and our iPods.
Just in case you are wanting an eye to eye conversation, just be patient. In Matthew 5 Jesus promises us the pure in heart will see God. You turn is coming.
Written by Roger Bothwell on December 2, 2009
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St.Helena, CA 94574