Growing up in Minnesota produced memories that will stay with me for a lifetime.
I remember we had a lake cabin about two hours from where we lived, and twice a month we would pack up the car and head to our lake place. The whole family loved going to this lake place because we were able to leave the city and all the details of everyday life; we got to enjoy each other as a family; and we would barbecue, water ski and have bonfires (which included making S’mores). We had some chores at the lake place, like mowing the lawn, making meals and washing the boat, just to name a few, but we did not see them as chores because we were at the cabin.
While I was praying the other day, the Lord began to minister me about how many people are making the presence of God a weekend getaway. We go to church once, twice or even three or more times a week so we can get away into the presence of God. He then went on to say that He wanted His presence to be an everyday experience for His people, not just a weekend getaway. This thought rocked me to the core, because I enjoy the presence of God every day throughout the day, but I realize that many people do not know how to make the presence of God their present reality.
Marriages are struggling, children are rebelling, families are dysfunctional and finances are tight for many Christians because we have not learned how to experience the presence of God in our everyday lives. We go to church, enjoy the music, learn from the message and smile at those we see there, but deep down inside, we have not changed. So we get home and everyone goes back to their same behaviors and attitudes. Joyce Meyer has named her ministry Enjoying Everyday Life because she realizes that until we start enjoying everyday life, we are not going to see changes in our lives, our families or our finances.
When we make the presence of God a weekend getaway, rather than something we pursue, desire and make time for every day, we will never truly understand how to enjoy everyday life. But the Lord’s desire is that we would learn how to abide in Him (John 15) so that we can have our prayers answered, our children healthy and happy, our marriages a model of Christ and the church, and our finances overflowing.
Going to the lake place is not somewhere I want to go just on the weekends; I want to live on a lake with a boat next to the dock.
The same is true for the presence of God. I do not want to wait until church to enter into His presence, I want to be able to access it daily, moment by moment, and I believe this is what God wants for us as well. So, it is time we turn the weekend getaway into an everyday experience.
Lisa Great is the author of Divine Principles for Success. Lisa and her husband founded a church in Malaysia before moving back to the U.S. Check out her blog at MouthPieceMinistries.com.
