Visit

Holiday season is upon us.  Visit any store and they are evidence of the time of year.  Today is Halloween.  Yes, that means I am writing a few days late, but better late than never.  I live in a small community, where despite turning off the lights in hope to avoid tricks, I still get the little treat-ers.  This year I gave in and got candy since I know they are coming. 

Halloween night is much like many people's Christian walk.  They visit God briefly, get what they want from Him and leave.  He is delighted for the visit, gives us what we need because He is gracious and lives us. However, our visit is really one sided, to get what we came for, much like the little dressed up characters that will be knocking on my door.

Then there's Thanksgiving.  People visit, they fellowship a little, gives thanks and have a meal.  

 Thanksgiving also represents a little different walk with God, the Sunday Christian.  They visit, fellowship with other believers and maybe even God, they give thanks, get fed spiritually and then go on their way.  Again, God loves to have a visit from His children, but it is still lacking.

Then there is Christmas. One of my favorite memories as a child was having my aunt and cousin visit with us Christmas night and stay till late on Christmas day.  It seemed that it stretched out the celebration.  We would watch old home videos and reminisce. We would make ornaments. There was fellowship, giving thanks, great food, general fun, exchange of gifts, sweet treats, and a long visit that sometimes would span more days. 

God desires that we visit Him longer, more frequently, fellowship deeper. He wants us to reminisce of the things He has done for us, brought us through, and His extravagant love.  He wants us to have reminders, like the ornaments that point us back to those times. He wants deeper fellowship. He desires  to give thanks always. He wants us to great on His Word daily. He wants to enjoy us, and for us to enjoy Him. He wants us to share our gifts with others.

The truth is, God doesn't just want us to visit. He desires us to move Him in to our lives. He wants us to have spent so much time with Him, that when we go visit others, He is taken with us. That His presence can visit strangers we pass  the street, and transform their life.  He is a polite guest, and will never stay longer than we want, and never keep us from leaving if we desire. How intentional are we in our visit with God.