Sitting at the Feet of Jesus

How do we sit at the feet of Jesus? In my previous seed on this topic I wrote that Jesus is preparing us first of all to be His bride and not His worker. He has a calling for us to fulfil, but any commission we receive has to come out of our personal relationship with Him. In Revelation 2: 1-7 we read that some Christians laboured in Jesus name but had left their ‘first love’.

God asks us in His first commandment to love Him with all our being. This seems to be the highest priority. And if we love someone we want to spend as much time with them as possible. And it’s time which is much needed. We live in such a busy, driven society. And so often, even as believers, we are infiltrated by the ways of the world.

Having realised this many years ago, I decided I would give one week a year, as well as one day a month, to spending time alone with my Father in Heaven. But this wasn’t a replacement for the daily time I seek to spend with Him. For Jesus Himself it was important to have that daily quality time with His Father. I can say that some of these weeks and days have been the most amazing and precious times in my life, in terms of meeting with the living God.

It’s not easy to do this and it certainly needs to be an act of will. Sometimes I pray that God would increase this longing to be with Him, spending time in His presence, so it wouldn’t ever become a legalistic exercise. And I do believe this is a prayer He loves to answer. Nothing and no one can replace that experience.

I often marvel about King David’s words in Psalm 131 that his soul is at peace within him in the presence of His God, like a weaned child on the lap of his mother. Isn’t this a beautiful picture? Whenever I read these verses I’m amazed about David’s childlike trust and relationship with His God. David was a man with outstanding responsibilities. He had challenges from outside enemies and also from within his own family, and yet he was able to find that place of rest in the presence of God.

If we spend regular times of quiet with Jesus we are changed into His likeness, and no matter what the circumstances of our lives we will gain more and more of His perspective. We will get answers to our questions, guidance and direction. He promised we will hear the Shepherd’s voice, but it’s mostly when we stop and take time to listen to Him in the quiet place.

He’s the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father but through Him He is the one who brings us to the Father, introducing us to Him, and He to us. If we see Jesus, we see the Father. If we hear Jesus, we hear the Father. If we spend time with Jesus, we spend time with the Father. But let’s never forget that it’s not first of all for gaining something, but to enjoy our love relationship with Him.

Prayer: Dear Father in Heaven, please increase my hunger and thirst to spend more time in Your Word, and increase my longing to be with You and spend quality time in Your presence. In the name of Your son Jesus I pray. Amen.