From the archives:

 How close do you feel to God right now? Are you satisfied with which seat He holds at the table of your heart? Is He sitting in the head chair holding your hand? Maybe at the opposite end where you can see Him but can’t hear or touch Him–or somewhere in between? Where He sits is up to you.

“Be strong, be bold, don’t be afraid or frightened of them, for Adonai [the Lord] your God is going with you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6) He will show up if you invite Him, ready to do life with you but waiting for you to be ready, so He takes the least important seat–waiting for you to call Him closer. Are you doing life with Him or are you too busy getting things in order? It’s possible to give Him the top seat but to become so busy preparing things for Him that you never sit to listen or let Him hold your hand. There was a time when I was very busy doing. I was putting in full days at the church as well as doing Bible studies, leading worship, teaching children’s church, etc. I wasn’t taking the time to sit and listen. But God made that time for me by taking everything away–all forms of communication and transportation. I forced Him to shut me down so that He could pick me up. It was the best thing that could have happened to me.

He’ll sit quietly and watch you run around like a chicken with your head cut off. He knows you need His help–He wants to help–yet He waits to be asked. You’re free to screw things up on your own for as long as you like but you are freer than ever when you ask for and accept God’s help. “Here, I’m standing at the door, knocking. If someone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he will eat with me.” (Revelation 3:20)

If today you hear His voice open the door, and if you don’t hear His voice turn down the noise of the world and listen.