Let me begin by wishing you an early Happy Valentine’s Day. With all the turmoil in the world, sharing a little love seems like a breath of fresh air. I trust you are able to enjoy it.
I have called it the unexpected journey to a close personal relationship with the godhead. I have called it that because the journey usually is unexpected. I thought that I had a close relationship with God, and to a degree, I did. However, I did not realize how tainted in religious rules and regulations were preventing me from having a close “personal” relationship. This is what made my journey unexpected.
Before beginning this journey, I led a very disciplined routine. I would get up at 5:00 am every morning. I would spend one hour in prayer—not 59-minutes, nor 1 hour and 1 minute. I would read three chapters from the Old Testament, one chapter from the Old Testament book of Proverbs, and three chapters from the New Testament. I would write down thoughts and ideas that crossed my mind. I did this every day. Before having coffee, I would do this alone before talking to my wife or children. I thought that was a close relationship with God, and to a degree, I experienced God.
When God walked and talked with his creation in the Garden of Eden, The Old Testament book of Genesis says that he did so in the cool of the day, generally understood to be early evening. Granted, the concept of time, and the need for timeliness were not present. But do not miss the point. I equated my precise time praying, reading, and writing with being close to God, unlike Adam (in the Garden of Eden), who had a close personal relationship with God because he hung out with God.
I was very strict about not being interrupted because I was alone with God. It irritated me because of this strict policy about not being interrupted. One day while in my prayer hour, I felt the presence of the Lord very strongly. I sensed someone standing behind me, off to the right. I turned my head just enough to make out a silhouette. I imagined it to be my secretary wanting to tell me something. I noticed how the early morning sun coming in through the ceiling windows glistened through her shoulder-length hair. The purpose of turning my head was to acknowledge her presence, but my silence shouted, “Don’t bother me, I am praying!”
Once I concluded, I headed to her office to see what was so important. It was the only time of her tenure that she had her hair pulled up into a bun on her head. I stopped in my tracks the moment I laid my eyes on her, with this awful “knowing” deep within me, that Jesus was standing behind me, and I could not be bothered because I was in prayer!
Here is the sad “rest of the story.” It would be another 10-years before I realized how religious I had become and how much that kept me from a close personal relationship with the very God I boasted about having a close relationship with.
This is why I say an unexpected journey. I hope and pray that you are not as slow as I was before you find your unexpected journey to a close personal relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.