Have Coffee With God
Think about the meaningful friendships you have. Maybe right now you think of your spouse, college roommate, neighbor, classmate, teammate, coach, that lifelong friend, or maybe someone else. Now ask yourself; did that relationship happen by accident or did it take work? The phrases “I know him like a brother” or “I know her inside and out” imply that you have spent countless hours cultivating and building the relationship, and today because of that hard work (and yes, real relationships are hard work) you have a real intimacy with that person.
Think of you and that person sitting down over a cup of coffee and having an intimate one to one conversation, talking about more than just today’s weather or last night’s sports scores. You laugh together, you cry together, you lean on each other, you encourage one another, you simply share life together.
You can have that same kind of intimacy with God. In Isaiah 1:18 we read these words from God, inviting the prophet Isaiah to a one-to-one conversation, “Come now, and let us reason together.” (Some translations use different language, so your Bible might read differently.) God listens to those who turn to him with a contrite heart, “If I had ignored my sins, the Lord would not have listened to me. But God has indeed heard me; he has listened to my prayer” (Psalm 66:18-19, GNT).
Do you regularly talk to God? Do you take time to listen to Him? Is Jesus your always present friend or do you only run to Him when there are no other options? The main way we can have a conversation with God is though prayer. A dialogue between you and God, sharing real life stuff using real life language. Prayer is also quieting yourself and allowing God to “speak” to you as well. He is the best friend that you will ever have.
The Bible tells us that we need be aware that God is always with us, and we can have a conversation with Him at any time. In one of the shortest verses in the Bible, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, we read this short and to the point message, “Pray continually.” In addition to those “as needed” prayers, you should also set aside some time each day to pray for your needs, the needs of others, as well as seeking God’s wisdom and direction for not just the life-changing events you sometimes face but also for your daily routine, those day-to-day things.
The more time you spend with Him, talking and listening, the more intimate your relationship with Him becomes. And the more time you spend with God, you not only learn more about God, but you also learn more about yourself. And despite what you might have been told, there is no magic formula or training required for prayer, or even the need for those big theological sounding words.
Prayer is nothing more than having a conversation with God. Just you and God, one to one. In the process of spending time with God, I encourage you to open yourself up to the possibility that God really does have something to say to you! Nobody knows you better than God, nobody loves you more than God, and nobody desires to see you live life to the fullest more than God.
So, take time today to have coffee with God. Or, if you don’t like coffee, substitute your favorite beverage.
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