God Longs For Us - from Focus on the Family

I am doing a 4 day study on Talking With God In Prayer that is from Focus on the Family and I want to share these days with you.

DAY 1

Talking to God can at times be hard. I know myself I have feelings in my heart on what to say but sometimes it doesn't come out the way I want it to.

Has that ever happened to you?

We all can get busy and that can make us drift away from taking time to pray. It also can hinder us from teaching our children and loved ones about God. When you are busy you don't always remember to help others get into the habit of making time for God every day.

I'm here to tell you that God longs for you. He longs for all his children. Isn't that wonderful? I want to share with you how much God wants to hear from us and how prayer can strengthen our relationship with God and each other.

TALKING TO GOD

*Thank God for the way he cares and loves us.
*Ask him to show you how much He wants you to talk with Him daily.

DIVING IN

Line up a number of small glasses next to the kitchen sink. One by one, fill the glasses. Discuss how you could fill every container in your house and water would still flow out of the faucet. In a similar way, God's longing for you WON'T END!

GOING DEEPER

God is always available. Just as turning on the faucet you can fill another glass with water, so you can enjoy God's presence by going to him in prayer.

Isaiah 30:18 says, "The Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!"

God wants us to grow close to Him. He wants us to be filled with His love and peace because He longs for what is best for us. Although God works on our behalf, He wants us to respond to Him. He wants us to show a willingness to share our life with Him. One way we can do that is by talking to Him daily.

TALKING TO EACH OTHER

*Who is your favorite person to talk to and what makes this person your favorite?
*Tell about a time when you really wanted to talk to this person. Why did you long to talk to this person?
*Why might God long to be gracious to you?

Matthew 28:20 says, "and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Lets start today with a renewed spirit. Lets talk with God. It can be about anything and everything. He is with is everywhere we go. God is the head of all our houses, the unseen guest and at every meal the silent listener to every conversation. Lets include him in our daily life. He is the one who gave it to us.