Having A Date With Jesus

I remember the first time I called a girl and asked her out for a “date.”  We were in 7th grade, and we were on the same YMCA swim team.  Her name was Lynn, and I thought she was the most beautiful girl I had ever met. I paced around to think up what I should say and exactly how to say it.  Then, with sweaty palms, I nervously headed toward the black rotary dial telephone in the hallway. 

I picked up the phone.  I hung up the phone and paced some more.  I finally called Lynn and prayed that she would answer and not one of her parents.  My heart was pounding, and all I was going to do was to ask her to go with me to a party.  But for me, it would be the first official date of my life.  She said yes, and I was bouncing off the ceiling like a helium-filled balloon filled with anticipation.

How do you feel about having a date with Jesus?  A date that is for spending some quality time with Him. Sad to say, the modern-day idea of having a healthy relationship with Jesus has been boiled down to reading some Scripture and praying some prayers.  It has become mundane and lifeless.  Two items to check off our list of “daily duties” before we get to the real stuff of life that we call “work.”

Does it seem ridiculous to anyone other than me that we can actually spend time with the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, our Savior whose death has given us life, whose Spirit literally dwells inside of our body, who knows all things and has all power and all authority in heaven and earth, yet we approach His Throne hoping to squeeze in a few minutes before we rush off to work?

Open the eyes of our hearts, Lord.  This daily appointment that YOU desire to spend with US should fill us with such anticipation that we toss and turn all night thinking through the words we might say.  After feeding ourselves with the Bread of the Word, we can actually speak in your presence.  And that You want to speak back to us through Your Word as well as the leading of the Spirit.

We often show respect and honor to the people we are meeting by the way we dress.  We shower, shave, brush our teeth, put on deodorant and maybe even floss and rinse with mouthwash all to cover up our stink and look presentable.  The more important the meeting, the higher quality suit and tie with which we adorn ourselves. 

Jesus has always been and continues to be a come as you are God.  His love for us is so amazingly high, deep, wide, and long that I believe He is delighted however we come just as I am waiting for my grandchildren to show up at my house.  I want to suggest to you that it will be worth your while to put some effort into it.  To invest your time and energy into really deepening this daily time with Him instead of doing what Solomon teaches us in Ecclesiastes 1:14;

“I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun,

and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind.”

If you feel something is missing in your life, it is not a new car, a promotion, or some material trinket with a momentary buzz and then thrown away.  It is a date with Jesus.  He is knocking on the door of your heart, and He wants to come in and eat with you.  By the way, those illustration is not spoken by Jesus to unbelievers but to us as well as to the Church in Laodicea;

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

Knock, Knock!

Who’s There?

Jesus

Jesus Who?

Really … did you just ask that question??? Let’s do lunch!