LINGER

This word has popped up in several different places and conversations over the last week. It's one of those words that, in my mind, sounds old. I like old things, so I have taken the notion to use this word as often as possible this week.

As I prepared for Bible study last week, and then again this week, this 6 letter word brought a dose of conviction. In the rush of getting everything together, I was not lingering with the Father very much, and I found that I missed Him.

Yesterday I was alone for a little while and found myself wondering why it's so hard for us to linger in the presence of God. Why is it easier to keep that t.v. on or the computer in your lap? Why why why do we waste so much stinkin' time doing things, watching things that turn the stomach of God and then question why we don't see the hand of God moving in our life? (And I'll just go ahead and confess that I am the biggest offender in this area.)

Here's what I felt the Lord impress on my heart yesterday, and I'm going to just type what I heard. "YOU DO NOT LINGER IN MY PRESENCE."

I'm ashamed to say that I rush OUT of the presence of the ONE who can change my day, my circumstance. And then I wonder why I don't hear Him speak! How dare I.

The Word tells us Jeremiah 29:13 that if we seek the Lord with our whole heart that we will find Him. He also tells us in James 4:8 that when we draw near to God HE draws near to us. If you're like me I crave the word, I crave time in in-depth Bible study that is not an issue for me..(it wasn't always like that so please don't think I'm trying to puff myself up) for me the issue is shutting up so I can hear God speak. Anybody with me?

Psalm 37:7 tells us to "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him." Psalm 62:5 says "My soul waits in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him."

Lingering is hard in the fast food world we live in isn't it?

Lingering may mean you don't watch tonight's American Idol, or NCIS, or the Bachelor, or heaven forbid...you don't play Pathwords on Facebook!

Lingering may just mean sacrifice. It's a choice. And as one who has both lingered and allowed Him to speak and one who has not, I can tell you with my whole heart:

Anything you think you are sacrificing or giving up to linger in the presence of God will seem silly when you experience that sweet fellowship with your God.

This is long enough...but I want to leave you with a quote from the study we are doing on Tuesday nights.

"In essence, there is only one thing God asks of us - that we be men and women of prayer, people who live close to God, people for whom God is everything and for whom God is enough."


For God to be our everything, don't you think we have to spend time with Him? Maybe linger in His presence a little longer? What do you think?