Ways We Connect With God

I have been thinking about various ways of how we connect with God and how believers as individuals as well as groups find genuine, satisfying interaction and thus experience relationship with Him.

First, we don't all have the same perspectives or experiences on this subject, and I'll discuss that more at the end of this admittedly long piece. Yet many proclamed followers of Jesus share in many of the same methods.

Immediately the term "worship" of course comes to mind.

Jesus spoke to this clarifying our loving God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength/might.

He taught that the Father seeks us to worship Him in spirit and truth.

These give input if not detailed information not only on our "what" but our "how" and if you think deeply enough about it, our "why".

Connecting with God entails a number of things one can find in the scriptures, but the basis is found in Hebrews 11:

v1Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. v6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Note "not seen". When our natural eyes cannot -see- or perhaps even feel God, when it seems our prayers are unanswered, our questions likewise and when our life seems loaded up with negatives, pains and deep needs we begin to think "WHERE is God?!" There are indeed lyrics in the Book of Psalms with that exact sense of dis-connection and doubt regarding the writer's relationship to Him.

Some of what I've said already begins to direct to the WHY of connecting with Him. That is, we can stumble, crawl and pretend, bluff our way through life trying to find life without Him and His help, but godforsakeness isn't life here or hereafter!

Verse 6 is quite clear that pleasing God is impossible if we don't believe the "I AM" is! Thus, what about whatever "rewards" we expect or expected to receive?

I suggest the very opening verses of the Book of Hebrews speaks to this.

Heb. 1.1 Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, 2. but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds.

Here I immediately notice that God spoke. At first not only to prophets, God Himself spoke to Adam, Eve, Moses and so many others in their time, real time, in language they understood. Via nature and an amazing sign, to Moses by way of an un-destroyed burning bush. For many of those in the scriptures he would have been likely speaking in ancient Hebrew. Next we see the phrase "many and various ways", and in continuing, "by the prophets".

All of this allows at least glimpses into the very mind, will and communications of the holy. perfect, all-powerful and eternal God to sinful, flawed, encased-in-flesh which will die on this earth humans. HE apparently seeks us out, desires to connect with us!

I have been parking on the many and various ways statement for most of my life as a follower of Jesus. Not only or just via His Word in the scriptures, nor Jesus the Living Word, nor by the Holy Spirit into our minds, hearts, souls, but also through nature, the weather, beautiful and horrific events that got and get human attention including my own -and hopefully awake toward those things of authentic spiritual nature.

He speaks as HE chooses, when He chooses and how He chooses to communicate with us. Sometimes we close our ears, we refuse to even seek the how of "ears to hear".

Consider that the devil and demons "believe and tremble" as James tells us in his letter to the church. Remember- Jesus speaks of and interacts with that fallen angel and those who fell with him, and this quite clearly in the Gospel of Mark and other Gospels.

James could not have been meaning that entity somehow has saving faith yet he and from the New Testament record of Jesus casting demons into swine, etc., his minions apparently believe God exists and is Master of them. To politely toss the reality of all this from the scriptures is an easy confirmation bias but dishonest and unethical to the reality the Spirit and first-person/s accounts clearly describe.

And there we have an important point: our human understanding of evil, sin, repentance, of God Himself is limited and often brings us to astonishment, even the humility of admission of our own ignorance about Him, spiritual matters and the like. Mystery gets up the nose of humans demanding full rational explanation of all matters we might deem spiritual, and thus often discard anything regarding metaphysics. In simple terms, if I cannot understand it and define it, it likely doesn't exist or is a mere figment of my imagination or desires. Though that can be true, I've now walked with the risen Jesus to stacked-high proofs He is as the scriptures reveal Him. Experience upon experience via all I've mentioned thus far for more than 54 years as I write this.

Next, I think it important to face the humility of mystery but also that one person's perspective about God and communing with Him via what I've already listed but also what Christians call "the Lord's Supper"/Communion/Eucharist, baptism, personal and shared worship gatherings using song and the wide arts, prayers thought, spoken, written, sung to Him and more.

We must also face facts that perspectives come to all of us in many and varied ways. Sometimes we are able to "sense the manifest presence of God the Holy Spirit", of the Lord Jesus and the Father being -with- us ("Emmanuel") while at other times not at all.

Most believers who have spent much time reading through ancient or at least old spiritual writings of Christ followers will find mention of spiritual "dry times", seasons or at least situations where one may really desire some sort of feeling (beyond emotions but I suggest similar to them) that God is near, that we are with Him in the moment. Many comment they go through the same while reading the Bible. Most all tell us such times happen, will pass, and quite a few say God allows if not orchestrates such in the life of a disciple to teach them that a relationship based only on getting what one wants, or only "mountaintop experiences" that seem like bliss and pleasure aren't all there is to our relationship- not with Him nor other people! These are not fun lessons but important for our spiritual growth regarding faith and obedience in love, a love so much more and deeper than emotion or a sense of personal fulfillment.

Again, I say perspective is an important element when seeking to meet with God. What is HIS perspective in the moment? WHO is He in His nature? WHAT is He seeking to communicate to you, not just you telling Him or asking for things and so on. In other words, are we seeking Him for Himself or most always bringing Him our troubles, wish-list and the like? Nothing wrong and actually quite in line with God's Word to ask for Him to meet us, supply our and other's needs, etc., but too often we come with a perspective of self and not seeking Him for Himself.

One common definition of "perspective" is: a particular attitude towards or way of regarding something; a point of view

Is it not true that two believers can experience the exact same elements in a meeting and yet come away with two different perspectives as to the closeness or distance of the Lord to them, two different views of what God did or didn't do in the gathering and so on? One person was deeply moved by a song or feeling of God's nearness while another sitting right next to them wasn't "touched" in the least.

It's not uncommon for any of us to get hung up on a personal favorite or un-fave methodology as well. I've been long convinced this is largely (not always I admit) not as much the case with God as it is with us.

Lastly in this rather long post, consider time itself. He doesn't live in time as we do as He has no beginning or ending. Eternal is, shall we say, His perspective. Ours is often "Right here, right now, this way, and a planned or at least desired result that suits me". Hmmmm. I suggest we'd best not limit the unlimited God Who fully knows our needs, wants, wishes and often meets them with a "Yes", "Wait/later", or sometimes "No".

He also surprises us, and it's important to keep our eyes open for those instances and embraces regardless what they are, where they happen, how they come and though what or whom.

Hopefully these thoughts can help you think through and better navigate a vast topic I've only slightly touched upon in this bit of writing.

And as always, thanks for stopping by! -Glenn