I want to tell you about the place where I have had the some of the most meaningful God-meetings in my life. These meetings happen when I am washing my dishes. You see, God has created us to encounter Himself. Christianity is an up-close, face-to-face, encounter with God. In Christ, God has redeemed ALL that Adam lost. The fellowship Adam enjoyed with God in the garden was restored to us by the blood and body of Jesus. In knowing Christ, we know God perfectly. In Christ, God has come to us “in the cool of the day” (Genesis 3:8) for “He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature…” (Hebrews 1:3)
My life should move and respond in the ebb and flow of the close proximity of His Spirit who now lives in me (Romans 8:11)
Almost every day, I read my Bible and spend time in prayer. In these ways, I consistently meet with Him and He with me. Yet, if the gospel is an up-close, face-to-face meeting with God, my life should move and respond in the ebb and flow of the close proximity of His Spirit who now lives in me (Romans 8:11). Again, God has come to us in “in the cool of the day.” For me, He meets with me when I am washing dirty dishes.
Dishwashing has become sacred to me. I am usually alone, listening to music, a podcast, or the sounds of my crazy children running around. But as I wash dishes, He draws close. More times than I can count while washing dishes, I have become aware of His presence and begun to worship, intercede and cry. As I have washed dishes, He has shared His heart with me, told me of His plans or given me direction. I think He comes close in these moments because He can. After all, this is what Jesus paid for…a restored relationship with God.
I want to propose that the Lord desires that our homes (and other places we frequent) become places of divine meeting. They are places in which the Lord draws close and invites us to respond. I believe the normal places in our lives are targets for the Holy Spirit to usher us into fellowship with Himself.
Is your home (and other places you frequent) a place of divine meeting?
There are three scriptures that I have built my life around in order to capitalize on the times that God draws close “in the cool of the day.” These scriptures help me ‘lean’ into these meetings with my Father and my King.
Psalm 95:7 – “For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice” (italics mine). This verse assures me that everyday, God speaks and I am invited to listen. I live with a sense of anticipation that God will speak to me. Whether He speaks through my devotional time, Bible reading, prayer, a pastor/leader, a friend, a burning bush or sermon, I purposely soften my heart so I don’t miss His voice.
Psalm 27:8 – “When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, ‘Your face, O Lord, I shall seek.'” (Italics mine). I am the steward of my own heart (Proverbs 4:23). When I hear or sense my heart reaching towards God, I allow myself time to seek God’s face. I will slip to my knees and listen for His voice or pray “speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” This practice has trained me to ‘lean’ into His affections towards me.
Exodus 3:1-4 – In Exodus 3, we find the story of God calling Moses. I find verse 4 amazing as it reads, “When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am'” (Italics mine). A burning bush in the desert is hardly unusual. The fact that this bush was not consumed intrigued Moses. When God saw that Moses had turned aside to look at the bush, He spoke. When I notice that God seems to be close, I practice turning aside and listening. Turning aside to listen to God while washing dirty dishes has transformed my life.
Adam Shepski
Global Prayer Catalyst
Youth for Christ International
I believe the normal places in our lives are targets for the Holy Spirit to usher us into fellowship with Himself.