[Steve Myers] It seems that at times in our life, maybe God doesn't feel so evident. Perhaps you've called out to God and wondered, "Did God really hear me?" Maybe you've prayed about something, and it seems like, well, maybe the prayers bounce off the ceiling and don't really get any farther than that. Or perhaps you thought, "Well, I'm guilty, and why would God want to be concerned about me? After all, I should know better." Or maybe come to services and things are kind of boring, maybe it doesn't seem to really apply to me. I mean, you may think, “Well, something's missing. You know, what is it?” And maybe perhaps we feel like we don't measure up, and I'm not all that worthwhile, and I wonder, “Do I really mean that much to God after all? Or where is God? Where is God when I really need Him?”

Now, it's not that you don't believe God exists, but is He really personally involved with my life? I mean, life seems to happen. Another week has passed, it's just the usual thing, and habit just seems to take over, and life goes on. But is God truly that caring for me and my thoughts and my ideas? And is He interested after all? I mean, that can be the case at times, and there are obstacles that interfere with our relationship with God. Oftentimes, they're not real. They're not real. They may seem real. They're perceived barriers that seem to come between us and God, but how can I overcome those obstructions that just seem to get in the way, that seem to separate me with my God?

And if we're supposed to have a close relationship with Him, then we've got to identify those things that come between us, those obstacles that need to be overcome. And oftentimes, those obstacles are ones that we invent. Sometimes those obstacles are self-imposed, things that I've come up with in my own mind, and I've created this challenge between me and God. And even though it is a barrier, how can I overcome that? Those self-imposed walls, those self-imposed obstructions, and barricades that can separate us. How do I overcome those obstacles that separate me from God?

Well, as you think about that for just a moment, sometimes we forget what God's perspective is. Do we really see the need for a close and intimate relationship with God? Sometimes we take it for granted, but do we ever turn it around and really see the need for this relationship? I think that's the first step as we consider these barricades that we impose upon ourselves, that come between us and God. Do we recognize God's perspective? I mean, it's an amazing one. Oftentimes, okay, if I'm in trouble, I'm going to turn to God because I really need Him. Or if I'm sick or there's an illness, yeah, I really want a close relationship with God because I have problems and I have needs. But that's not what God wants.

I mean, He's going to be there for us, no doubt. But He wants a continuous relationship. He wants something that's ongoing. He wants that connection, that personal connection, an intimate connection, a close connection with every single one of us. That's really what God wants. And throughout His Word, He reminds us of that, over and over and over again. You go to the back of the Book, there's an interesting example that really speaks to that, that when we see things from God's perspective, we can really see where He's at and really the need on our part as well.

So, if you turn to the Book of Revelation, Revelation 3, notice verse 20. Now, you'll probably recognize this section of scripture in Revelation 2, in Revelation 3, we have the letters to the Churches, not only applying at the time that they were written, but certainly throughout time and to each of us as individuals. There are things found in each of these letters that we could take personally. Now, as you get to chapter 3, here we have the letter to the Laodiceans. And as that kind of concludes, it's interesting, the image that's painted here in verse 20, and that's where I'd like to pick it up.

Revelation chapter 3:20 It says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me.”

And so, it seems pretty straightforward, but have you ever painted that picture in your mind of what's going on here? Well, who is this door that Christ the Savior is standing in front of? What is this? Well, it's me. That's you. Christ is standing at the door and our door is shut tight. Maybe the weeds have grown up and it's blocking the entrance so it's not freely accessible. Maybe the hinges on that door are kind of rusted. They haven't been used all that much. And so, that door has been closed, and maybe it's been closed for a while. We haven't been open to God.

And you might think, “Well, yeah, that is me. Maybe I haven't been that spiritual. Maybe it's just weakness. I'm just not that spiritually strong. I mean, after all, this world is so distracting. There're so many things out here that get my attention and I get off track. And life is fragile, certainly, those things come into play, or maybe I'm just apathetic. I might just be kind of lazy when it comes to my relationship with God.” And yet here we see Christ knocking and He keeps knocking. The image that's painted here, He's calling out and He keeps knocking on this door. What does He want? What does He want? Well, He wants to come in. He wants an entrance.

Now, I don't know if you're like me, somebody knocks at my front door or maybe they ring the doorbell, what do you normally do? If it's unexpected, I don't know who's at the door, I might run over to the window and peek out. It's like, “Oh boy, it's a salesman. Forget it.” Somebody wants to sell me something. I don't recognize who they are. They'll leave a message, I guess, if they really want something. And I don't trust them. I'm not going to let 'em in, not let 'em get their foot in the door, because I don't want to talk to them. We can't treat Christ like that. That's not who He is. He's knocking at the door, our door, the door of our mind, the door of our heart, and He wants to come in.

And, in fact, He's not only knocking, we're told here, He's speaking. If you hear His voice... How do you have a relationship? Well, you got to have communication and you've got to listen, and you've got to have Him imploring us, wanting us. Here He's beseeching us, “Open the door,” because He wants to come in for our good. He's not some snake oil salesman trying to take us for what we're worth. He wants what's best for us in our life. And so here He is knocking at the door and really posing this question, will we let Him in for our own good so that ultimately God can bless us?

And so, when you imagine that scene, why does He act that way? Why is He doing? Why is He calling out? Why does He not give up and He keeps knocking? Well, He loves us. He loves us. And He's showing that. And it's interesting that when you think about this relationship we're to have with God, He's doing His part. And now on our part, that means we've got to act. A relationship requires action because He's not going to force that door open. He's not going to bring an axe and start chopping down the door. He's not going to break it down. He knocks, He calls out, and the choice is ours. We have that choice. Are we going to keep God outside the door or are we going to open that door and allow Him to come in?

Because if we do, we open that door, what does He say? He's going to come in. He's going to come into us. He will be in our lives, in our hearts, in our thinking. God wants to be that close to us. And He says, “We're going to have a feast. We're going to dine. We're going to enjoy each other's company. We're going to have fellowship and we're going to learn to know everything about each other.” Because that's the kind of relationship God wants. He wants to be that close, that tight with us, and yet the ball's in our court. The ball's in our court. What will we do? What is our response as Christ is knocking daily, daily at the door of our hearts and minds?

It's a little reminiscent of what He also said over in the Book of John. You want to turn with me over to the Book of John. This image is kind of painted there as well for us in John 14:23. In John 14:23, here, Christ is instructing these words in your Bible. If it's a Red Letter Bible, they'll be red letters because Christ Himself is uttering these words. And notice the connection here between what He says in Revelation 3 about knocking on the door, and wanting entrance, and having a close relationship, to what He says here.

John 14:23 Here, Christ says, “If anyone loves me, He'll keep my word and my Father will love him. And we will come to him and make our home with him.”

Well, He's knocking on the door of our home, of our life. And family relationships have a home. They have a home. And I don't think He used this particular word that's recorded for us by accident, by mistake. This word for home, I think it's a special word. If you were to look it up in the Greek, it's the word monē, and that itself isn't all that important. But you know how many times this specific word for home is used in the New Testament? It's only used twice. Twice. And they're both right here in John 14, both of them. In fact, the other occurrence is one that'll probably sound pretty familiar. If we back up just a little bit, look back to verse 2. Verse 2, see if you can pick out this word home.

John 14:2 It says, “In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would've told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”

So, God is preparing a home. The word monē is mansions. "In my Father's house, there's many rooms, many dwelling places," some translations say. It's that same word for home. God wants to make His home, make our home with Him, and so, He's preparing that place.

It's about family, it's about having a relationship. It's about God living not only with us but in us. But in us. And that's the kind of relationship God wants. He's ready, willing, able to do just that. And so, He's fulfilling His part of the relationship. And it's amazing from His perspective, "Open the door, knock off the rust." He wants to be a part of your life, a vital part of your life. And He can't wait to celebrate, to have that feast with you, to celebrate every single day as we share our life with Him because that's the kind of relationship that He wants.

In fact, a little bit of this is mentioned also back in the Book of Zephaniah. So, it's a beautiful example that's used here in the Minor Prophets. So, if you turn back to the end of the Old Testament, we find the Minor Prophets. And as you turn there, I see Haggai and Zechariah. I'm a little bit too far, I got to keep turning back. Micah's a little too far. Zephaniah is not a real big book, but we find a beautiful example used here in Zephaniah 3. Notice verse 17, pretty amazing example that really shows us what God wants and the need that we have to have this kind of relationship.

Zephaniah 3:17 It says, “The Lord your God is in your midst.” Right there in your heart, in your mind. It says, “The mighty one will save. He'll rejoice over you with gladness. He'll quiet you with His love. He'll rejoice over you with singing.”

Now, we kind of plucked that verse right out of the middle of this Zephaniah narrative, but if we read this whole section, something exactly the opposite is happening. Judah is going to go into captivity. They've run out of opportunities to repent and turn to God. They're going to be taken captive. It's a done deal. Nothing's going to change that by this point. And yet among all of that, what does God desire? God says, “I'm still with you. I still want you.” In a sense, we've got a people who have been suffering, and when they come back out of captivity, it's almost like they've been suffering from PTSD, you know, post-traumatic stress. They've gone through all these difficulties.

And here we have this beautiful picture of the mighty one, the warrior that saves, that has salvation in mind for us. And rather than condemning us and putting us down and seeing our sins, it says He wants to rejoice over us. If that door would open, that's what He wants. In fact, among all the challenges and the difficulties, He wants to quiet us with His love. Some translations say, “Refresh us with His love.” Others say, “Show us His love and not accuse us.” Of course, Judah was to be accused. They did all this whole list of things that were opposed to God. Well, as our ourselves is sin. I mean, yeah, there's many things that God could hold against us, and yet when we repent, He forgives us. He won't accuse us. Amplified says, “He'll make no mention of your past sins. He won't even recall them.” That's because they're gone. They're done. We've repented. He's forgotten those. He won't bring those to mind. And instead, He celebrates. That rejoicing idea is celebrating.

And so, it gets to the heart of this relationship we're to have with God. That's where He's at. He can't wait to quiet us. Almost like, you know, a little baby that's crying. What does a good mother do? Well, you pick up that baby and you hold them in your arms. Maybe you sing a lullaby and that calms them because there's such love and care and concern, and that's what God wants. In fact, we back up just a little bit to verse 14. There's some parallelism going on here, and we see this mutual relationship.

Zephaniah 3:14 It says, “Sing, O Daughter of Zion. Shout, O Israel.” Of course, spiritually speaking, we are the Church, we are Zion, we are the spiritual Israelites. And so, in a sense this speaks to us. It says, “Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem.”

Now, that's just what God was doing, quieting us with His love, rejoicing over us with singing. And so, the Church is called to rejoice in God because God's rejoicing in the Church. She shouts for joy, and she sings. God's joyful, and He is singing and rejoicing. Here we see God identifies with us, and we have this mutual love and respect. And it's reciprocal, it goes back and forth. And we're glad because God's glad. He rejoices because we rejoice. He's encouraging because we are encouraged. And we praise and we sing, and we honor Him with joy. And He has joy over us singing. And so, we have this amazing connection with Him, all that begins with His love, with His care, and His concern. And we respond to that care and concern, that calling that He's given to us.

Now, we find that, not only many times throughout the Old Testament, but numerous times throughout the New Testament, we see how God wants this kind of an intimate relationship with us. You might think of different passages that the Apostle John wrote, especially as you look through 1 John. 1 John talks about so many of these things. You may think of 1 John 3.

1 John 1:3 Where it says, “What manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us.”

Think about that. Think about how God has poured out His love on us. And it says that we should be called children of God because we're home. We're at home. We're a family. We're His children. That's 1 John 3 talks about that very thing. We are His children, and we know Him and He knows us. And John speaks of that many times. We love Him because He first loved us. Absolutely. He first loved us. And it's not that we love God, but it's that He loved us, and He gave us His son. He gave us a sacrifice.

And so, when we think about that, we cannot doubt God's part in this relationship. He wants it. He is all in. He wants this close connection to us. And so, the challenge then is for us, how do we grow in that relationship with God? I mean, all too often we know a lot about God. We know a lot about God. I mean, I've pretty much known God my whole life. I know about Him. Maybe if you've grown up in the faith, you know, you know God's laws, you know the Commandments, you know the Sabbath. Yeah, we know all of those kinds of things. We know the food laws. We understand all of these things. But knowing those things, does that equate to a relationship?

You see, that's knowing about God. That's not knowing God. We can't claim because we do these things that we have a relationship with God because it's about love. It's about fellowship. It's about trust between us. That difference between knowing about God and truly knowing God and communicating with God, it points to the fact we are created for a relationship with God, and in a way, that's our primary purpose, isn't it? To have this relationship that's not just a physical one, but that's going to extend into eternity. That's the kind of relationship that God wants. So, not just knowing about Him, but truly knowing Him, knowing Him.

And so, God calls us, begins knocking on that door. And I think the moment we realize our need, that we need God, that's what's missing in our life, and we admit we need a savior, that we are sinners, and we must in faith accept the sacrifice of Christ. And we come on this journey because we recognize this hole in our heart that can only be filled with a relationship with God. And so, do we really see that need? That's what it is. That's what's most important. That's what's necessary in my life to have this ongoing relationship that's close, so close that we can't be separated.

It's interesting that David certainly saw that need. King David recognized that need. There're so many examples throughout the Psalms of that very fact. Maybe we could turn to just one over in Psalm 63. In Psalm 63, right at the very beginning of that particular Psalm, this one actually has a title. It has a title that's written right here in God's Word in Psalm 63.

Psalms 63:1 It says, “A Psalm of David,” so this is one of David's songs that he wrote. And then it says, “When he was in the Judean Desert, in the deserts of Judea.”

This is when he wrote this particular song. It's interesting just to think of that. What was going on in David's life at this particular time in the wilderness of Judah? What was going on? I mean, most of the scholars zero in on the fact this was probably when Saul was chasing him and wanted him dead. He wanted his life. He wanted him out of the way. And so, it seems this may have been written during that time when David was on the run, his life being threatened. And so, have that in mind as you read the lyrics of this beautiful Psalm.

Psalm 63:1 It says, “Oh God, you are my God.” If you read this in the contemporary English Bible, it says, “God, I'm searching for you. I'm out in the wilderness and I'm looking for you.” It goes on to say, “My whole being thirsts for you. I'll seek you. My body desires you.” In fact, the description here, “in a dry and thirsty land where there's no water.”

That's a wasteland, that's a desert. And in a way, I think that compares to where we live. We live in a dry and thirsty.... You talk about spirituality, spiritual things, it's not here. It's not in this life. It's not in this world. It's not in our culture. No. We are in a dry and thirsty land. And David looks and he searched.

Psalm 63: 2 “I've seen You in the sanctuary. We come to the tabernacle, and we worship You there. I've seen Your power, Your glory.”

And so, he praises God. He comes to this relationship. He recognizes…

Psalm 63:3 “Your lovingkindness is better than life.” That's where it begins. God's there to fill the needs that we have. He can take away this dry, thirsty, spiritual thirst that we have, and He can fill it. He can fill it. And David recognizes that very thing. And so, his response is, “I will bless you while I live. I'll lift up my hands in your name. My soul will be satisfied as with marrow and fatness.”

Which kind of brings us back to Revelation 3. Where do you have those things, marrow and fatness? Well, that's at a feast. That's at a dinner. That's when you get together, and you eat. Yes, He comes, and He wants to dine with us. Some of the translations even say that, "That He is there as with a rich dinner." Yeah, if you laid it all out. And so, we recognize that very thing.

And so, our response to God being willing to fulfill that need is opening that door and making that choice, recognizing the need that yes, when we turn to God, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. And, of course, the Beatitudes say, “They will be filled.” They will be filled. God will come in the door. And so, that need is something that is right there in our very core. And so, we've got to acknowledge that. And we can ask ourselves, “Okay, is my relationship with God that intimate? Am I really that close to God? Do I really have that kind of personal relationship?”

And maybe part of it would be just asking ourselves, “Do I sense God's presence in my life? Or how often do I sense His presence?” I mean, He's there. He's there. It's not like He's gone. It's not like He's out of bounds and I can't find Him. No, He's right there. He is right there. But do I sense it? Do I realize it? Maybe just a seldom kind of thing that when I really need Him. There's been a death, “God, I need you. I lost my job. Okay. I might recognize I need God.” But wait a second, that's not what God wants. Or maybe it's a yearly kind of thing. “Well, I know God's there at the feast. Yeah, we all go to the feast. There's this great rejoicing. It's a time of fun. I've got extra money. And, well, Passover, Yeah, I know He is there then. I recognize that.” But that kind of sporadic relationship, is that what God's intent is?

“Well, occasionally, every week, I kind of sense God's presence. I come to services. I recognize Him there.” Okay. Is that what God wants? I mean, it's a good start. But what about every day, sensing God's presence in our life every single day? And not only that, how about hourly? Do we recognize the presence of God in our life frequently, every hour? And then, of course, every moment, every minute, is God there? Do we see Him in the circumstances of our life? Do we recognize His presence? Is He on our mind?

You see, sometimes it's such a challenge because we may pray and it may seem, “Wow, God's not here. Where is He? God, I need your blessings. I need your healing. I need you.” Okay. What kind of relationship does that point to? I mean, if that's our perspective and you think, “Well, what do I want from God? Oh, yeah, I want His blessings. I want Him to heal me. I want Him to bless me... I want God to act. That's what I want. I want results.” But that's not a relationship, is it? That's not a relationship. That's expectation. I'm expecting you, God, to do these things. But that's not what God wants. That's a one-sided relationship. That's reflecting the ways of this world. This world is all into one-sided relationships. What can I get? What's in it for me? And that can be our problem sometimes. But the kind of relationship God wants is one of trust, one that's mutual, because He's got our best interest at heart.

And really, when it comes down to it, relationships without reciprocity that aren't mutual, they're not relationships. That is not a relationship, because God wants this fatherly-child relationship. He wants to share that family relationship. It goes both ways. It goes back and forth. It's mutual. It's mutual. And so, God calls who He wishes, and He calls us into a relationship with Him. And so, we must open the door and seek that kind of a relationship. So, maybe we put up obstacles on our own. They're self-imposed and sometimes they block that kind of a relationship that God truly wants with us.

So, what can we do? Once we see the need, then we have to seek God's will. That sounds, yeah, pretty standard, pretty normal. Seek God's will. Okay. Yeah, I need to do that. Does that sound earth-shaking? Probably not. Probably not. But when I seek my own will, that is a barrier that can come between me and God. Have you asked yourself that question? Well, is this God's will or not? I know you've had that question come to mind. And sometimes it's a challenge, you know, to recognize, “Okay, God's will or not God's will? You know, God, should I marry this person or not? What is your will? Should I take this job? I might have to move out of town and go to a whole different congregation. Should I take that job, have to live in a different city or not? God, what is your will? Well, what college should I go to? I'm not sure if I should go over here or over there. God, what is your will for me? Well, we're thinking about having another baby. Should we have another baby or not? God, what option should I choose?”

And oftentimes we categorize things like that. And after all, we can read God's Word, and some things are spelled out absolutely clear. There is no doubt, they are spelled out in God's Holy Word. Keep His Commandments, absolutely. Put on the character of Jesus Christ. Come to Him in repentance when you sin. Give tithe. Yeah, all those things, absolutely. But God, I want to know, should I buy this house or not? What's your will? Should I change careers? Should I go back to school? Those aren't specifically covered in the Bible, are they? I mean, we find principles, but sometimes we might think, "Wow, it'd be nice if God just wrote 'em down and send me a letter. Here it is. This is the will of God. I should buy that house. Wouldn't that be nice?" Oh, not really. Not really. God's given us His spirit and that changes everything. And God wants us to be constant in seeking His guidance, doesn't He? This should be an ongoing aspect of our relationship with God. I mean, we're all familiar with Matthew 6:33.

Matthew 6:33 It says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. All these things.” Now, sometimes we look at that and I think maybe we miss that's talking about a relationship. That's talking about a relationship. Seek the kingdom of God and God's righteousness. We're seeking a relationship with God. And the seeking part, I think, is just as important as God's response. Could that be the case that this whole process of seeking God is just as important as the answers that God gives? Because that relationship is growing, if we just look to the results, well, that's not a relationship. But when we're seeking in that process of building and growing spiritually and drawing near it to God, having the mind of Christ, that's a relationship. And it's not always a simple one, is it? It is a process. Conversion is a process, and yet it is worth it. It is worth it.

And I often wonder, why is it sometimes I put this relationship I have with God on such a different plane as other relationships in my life? Do you ever do that? I mean, you might. I mean, building a relationship with God, boy, it should just be nothing to it. He wants this relationship with me, and it should just be smooth sailing all the way, right? No. I mean, think of the other relationships in your life, your relationship with your mate, always smooth sailing, no issues, no disagreements, never any friction whatsoever, right? Nope. That's not the case at all. No, it's not like that. How about with your friends? Sometimes it's rough going, sometimes there's disagreements. Sometimes there's frustration. Why is this like that? Well, you got to work through those things. That's what a relationship is about. When the going is rough, you take it on. You don't give up. You recognize, well, even this relationship with God, He is there.

And sometimes we're even hurt. We are hurt. “How could they have done that to me?” We may feel that hurt. We feel the disappointments. We feel the discouragement. In that sense, why should my relationship with God and my mindset be so different than that? I think it's something we should recognize. That's part of being human. And yet, among all that, we know, we can know that we know that God obviously answers prayers at times, and we see it and we know it. And those other times when it seems like He's silent, He's still there. He is still there, undoubtedly.

And sometimes, when you work your way through things, what's the end result? I mean, if you've worked situations through with your mate, with a good friend, and you struggled and it was hard, it was difficult, and, oh, so frustrating, and you work through those things, what are you farther apart then or has it drawn you together? You see, working through those things, I believe, brings us together, builds a stronger relationship because I haven't done the things I needed to do. And God, you've been there the whole time. And so, it builds, and I think creates a stronger bond. And we have a greater deep-seated joy knowing, "All right, God, you are there, and you've helped me to work through the challenges and the self-imposed barricades that I've put up, and the difficulties that I've been challenged with." And we can thank, and we can honor God for that very thing.

It's a good example of this, I think that the Apostle Paul pointed to, as he wrote to the Colossians. In Colossians 1:9, we see this aspect of this relationship that God wants us to build and to grow in. This idea of seeking the will of God becomes apparent that it turns itself into motivation and action on our part. Paul wrote about that very thing, and it's interesting the way he words it here. Notice this, I guess, you could say this father-child, this relationship wording that's used here.

Colossians 1:9 It says, “For this reason, we also since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that you may walk worthy of the Lord fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

And so, in a way, we've got a practical application here, a practical application of knowing godly things, applying it to how we live, how we think, how we walk, and that ability to discern, getting ourself out of the way, and submitting to God's spirit. He's given us His spirit so we can overcome, so we can have a close relationship. And in every situation, every opportunity, whatever the occasion might be, that we look to Him in that application of how God's perspective should be applied. And so, He's given us the power to do just that. And that means giving up my desire, what I think might be best, my self-focused, self-centered perspective. Yeah, that's the way it is sometimes. And yet being fully open to God's direction, to His lead.

And I think sometimes when we're faced with, “Okay, what is your will, God? What should I do? Well, I've already figured it out. I know what I'm going to do. I'm coming to God so He can kind of put His stamp of approval on what I've already decided.” You ever done that? “Well, God, I've decided this is what I'm doing. I just need you to approve of this.” Well, that's not seeking God's will. That's looking for verification. Now, it doesn't mean there's something wrong with going to God and you've got something that you think is best in mind. Okay, that's not it. What you'd like to see happen. That's not wrong or sinful or anything like that. But I think we got to be careful. We don't want our thoughts, we don't want our motivation, we don't want our desires to get into the way of what God may have planned. That's a whole nother ballpark.

And so, if we really understand God's direction, that means we've got to be open for His lead. We've got to be responsive to His spirit. We've got to get ourselves out of the way and submit to Him, and then we're open, then we're ready. That creaky door with the rusted hinges swings open even wider, so God can come in and we can be a part of His home. One of the Psalms, I think, speaks to this in Psalm 37, Psalm 37:23. It certainly shows how this seeking the will of God makes all the difference in the world. And that idea of responding to God's spirit and submitting to Him can change our entire outlook.

Psalm 37:23 It says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in His way.” Yeah, that means established. They're directed by God's doing the guiding. It's not like, “I'm going this way, God. I hope you approve of this.” No, He's guiding us in the way that we should go, and He's going to protect us. And so, He says, “Even though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.”

So, God's directing our steps, which means I've got to be open for His guiding, and then, every detail of our life, He wants to be a part of. In fact, some of the translations even read that way. If you look this up in the New Living, it says just that, “He delights in every detail of our lives.” Every detail. Well, I want every detail of my life to be done according to the will of God. And so, that's where it points to this God taking us by the hand, and He's holding us and leading us. And even if we trip and stumble and we sin, when we repent, He's right there. He refreshes us and He guides us, and He leads us, and we continue to seek His will. And God is always there because He's saying we're upheld. He's holding us. He's holding us in His hands.

Now, of course, when those times come and it seems to be a struggle, seems to be difficult, I think, we can overcome that obstacle as well when we really stay persistent. If we stay persistent, that can help, I think, break down those walls. Those obstacles can be overcome when we continue in our seeking. I mean, if you think about, you know, your timetable, my timetable. “How do I want you to answer God? Right now.” Isn't that the way your timetable is? Normally, yeah, I'm about, “Right here, right now. Make it happen. Immediacy is everything. Make it true.” I mean, physically, oftentimes that's the case. You know, when do you want it? I want it yesterday. That kind of thing. Yeah, that's us. That's our timetable. But what about God's timetable? It's eternity. God's timetable is based in eternity. And that should temper our perspective then, shouldn't it? I think it should.

In fact, Christ taught about that very thing in being persistent, that it might not happen today, might not happen tomorrow. Some of these things are kingdom issues, and they're not going to happen until we are spirit-born, divine members of God's family. They're not going to happen until then. But in the meantime, Christ tells us very plainly, Matthew 7:7, another very familiar section of scripture. Matthew 7:7, here's the persistency that we are to have. And Christ expounded on that very fact. You know the section of scripture. Red Letters.

Matthew 7:7-8 Christ said, “Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be open to you.” And then He says in verse 8, Matthew 7, “For everyone who asks, receives. And he who seeks finds. And to him who knocks, it will be opened.”

And so, we continue to ask for what we need. We seek for what may be missing. We knock because we may be feeling shut out and we need God to enter into our life. And these words, in a way, they lead in intensity. They start out asking spoken words of prayer. We communicate to have a good relationship with God. He's been communicating and calling out to us, and we respond in praying and asking. And that intensity then increases to seeking, to doing, it's an effort at times. And so, we put that effort in, in looking for God and seeking Him and knocking as well. That's kind of one of those things, we knock. And what if the door doesn't immediately? We knock a little louder or we knock a little faster. That urgency comes into play. And so, we are signifying our urgency to have a close relationship with God. We're seeking Him and knocking with perseverance. And so, we ask for the things that we need that are consistent in what God wants to give us, what He's promised us. Those needs, not our wants, but what would be best for us, what would be most important, that bring Him glory, that brings Him honor. That's really what's most important.

And then He tells us, well, I think, in a way, it's almost a, well, not just a confidence that we can have in Him. Not just any old assurance, not something we can just take to heart, you know, in a casual way. When you look at verse 8, I think, it's a triple assurance, isn't it? We can take triple confidence that everyone who asks, receives, everyone who seeks, finds. Not any sense of doubt on God's part. When we're living according to God's will, and we're persistent about it, God answers. You will receive, you will find. You knock, it's going to be open to you.

And it's interesting, that kind of turns that whole Revelation 3 perspective around, doesn't it? Christ is knocking at our door. Will we open? Now, are we going to be knocking on His door so that He will open and hear, and we will receive? And so, He does answer. He's given us His spirit that makes this most intimate relationship of all even possible. But we have to patiently seek Him and persistently go after this relationship and build this relationship and persevere with whatever the circumstances of our life may be, knowing, knowing that He's there and He will answer our prayer and He will build His relations. He will most undoubtedly do His part unquestionably. And so, we persistently strive to build that relationship with Him.

And in a way, there's a passage back in the Old Testament, I think, that kind of summarizes this perspective that God has and our relationship that we're seeking to have with Him. It's over in Lamentations 3:22. Maybe a little bit of an unfamiliar section of scripture. But here, Jeremiah is lamenting over Israel, over their choices, how they've turned their backs on God, and the difficulties that they're going to face, the destruction that lies ahead for them. And yet, among all of that, among all of that, we have this beautiful passage that begins in Lamentations 3:22, which certainly speaks to all of us. When life hands us those difficulties and those challenges and God may seem to be far off, that's just not the facts. That is not the truth. God is right there with us. And Lamentations 3:22 certainly speaks to that fact.

Lamentations 3:22 It says, “Through the Lord's mercies, we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.”

No matter what it may seem like, what it might look like, oh, it appears this way, that's not the facts. God is merciful, God is loving, He is compassionate, and that can never, never come to an end. That's who He is. In fact, to paint that beautiful picture.

Lamentations 3:23 Says, “They are new every morning,”

God's doing His part. Every morning, we have to be doing our part, fulfill our part in that relationship because He never fails. It's never going to come to His end. His mercy is always there. We're not going to be destroyed. He's waiting. And so, we're told, great is His faithfulness, so we should respond in kind.

Lamentations 3:24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul. There's a response God wants. “Therefore, I hope in Him.”

I'm not dependent on the here and now. I'm looking to Him, looking to the hope of the resurrection. I'm looking to being a part of the family of God.

Lamentations 3:25 “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”

This is a very good thing. And so, God is there for us. And so, when those times of doubt or frustration, we're facing those barriers and those obstacles, feeling like, "God, are you hearing me?" Maybe we have a sense of boredom or apathy. "These things, do they really apply to me? Am I anything to you, God?" You know, when those thoughts come, don't forget God's perspective. He wants that continuous, ongoing, personal, intimate relationship with us. He is there. Recognize the need. Recognize our need for God to fill that place in our life. He has to be our life. And that's what God wants.

And as we seek His will, get into that prayer. Let's never turn our back on that process of conversion and coming to a deeper relationship and growing in that way. Working out our frustrations, working out our challenges, because God wants that for us. And sometimes that means we've got to stick to it. We've got to persevere. But we can take heart. We can be strong and courageous and keep it going. Keep knocking, keep seeking, keep asking. Be persistent because God has promised to hold us in His hands. That spiritual relationship, growing in the character and stature of Christ, is right there. It is within our grasp. And that's what God wants for us. So, we can, with His help, we can break down the barriers. We can scale the walls. We can, with His help, overcome every obstacle.