God desires to be a part of our everyday lives. He longs to show His love for us in special ways. If we will take the time, He will surprise us with special gifts of His love throughout our day.
Recently, this happened to a friend of mine. She took the time to find God. No, she didn't just get up early in the morning and go outside to sit under a large, budding oak tree. She didn't just stop and smell the fresh spring breeze and listen to the birds singing their songs of praise to God. She didn't meditate all day while the warmth of the sun caressed her smiling face. She began her day as she always does -- she spent time in the Word and then allowed God to show up in any part of her day that He chose. She went to work, and there were special surprises for her.
The Scripture she read that morning was from the Song of Solomon. It was a precious Scripture that she took with her in her heart. As she entered the building where she works, she saw something on the table in the lobby. She decided that she would pick up the small object and throw it away. She took pride in the area where she works and simply wanted to keep things looking nice. But to her surprise, it was a small flower. Now you say, "What's the big deal?" Well, here is the Scripture that God gave her that morning:
"For the winter is past, and the rain is over and gone. The flowers are springing up, and the time of singing birds has come, even the cooing of turtledoves"
(Song of Solomon 2:11-12, The Book).
It meant so much to her. She giggled and said, "Thank you, Papa" (as she always did when speaking to her heavenly Father) and kept right on walking. God was speaking to her heart about His great love for her. He was sharing with her that just as it was beginning to be spring in the natural realm, in the spiritual realm she was starting into her own springtime. And as we all know, flowers are a sign of spring.
God had allowed someone to leave a special, little flower on that table so that as she entered the building she would discover it and feel His great love for her. Her heart was greatly touched by this incident, and I felt so blessed to be a part of it. I had been right behind her when she walked into the building that morning.
As I thought of how special that moment seemed to her (not knowing about the Scripture God had given her), I knew something very wonderful was happening. As I stepped into the elevator, God spoke to my heart and said, "She took the time to find ME." She had taken the time to find God. She was continuing the day as we all have to do, working and taking care of family, yet this moment did not escape her.
"Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him! Then he will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring" (Hosea 6:3, The Book).
Needless to say, I took the rest of the day to look for God. I made sure I gave eye contact to everyone I met and shared a kind word and a smile. I wanted to find God in my day, and I wanted to be God's love to someone who might need to see Him in a tangible way.
We can find God. We can feel His love in wonderful ways. We don't need to think that He is millions of miles away and too busy to care about our special needs each day.
Take time to find God.
What does the Bible say about making time for God
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Pray without ceasing,
Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; ...
And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, ...
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, ...
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.
Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. ...
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.
For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! ...
To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah. As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.