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Putting Yourself in the Right Place to Receive From God

I’ve always joked that I have separation issues… After teaching students for an entire year (or sometimes longer), I don’t necessarily love just sending them out my classroom door to never (or rarely) see them again. And, of course, there are always some who are harder to let go of than others. I absolutely love it when, after they are no longer in my class,  they stop back into my classroom to say hello and catch up. 

Last school year, my seventh hour class period was particularly small—only nine students. When you have a class like that, it often happens that everybody ends up getting to know each other quite a bit better throughout the course of the year. With a small number of people in the room, the atmosphere has an intimate feeling, and there’s simply much more time for me, the teacher, to chat with each individual student. When I can consistently have one-on-one conversations with students, relationships are built so much quicker and stronger than in an environment where there’s one teacher and 25 students. Needless to say, the nine students from my seventh hour class last year know a little bit more about me, and I about them, than many other people in my school building.

So when one of the students from that class happened to be walking through the hallway during summer school one day this past June (grabbing something from inside the building before football practice), I was extra happy to see him. …so happy that as we walked toward each other, coming from opposite directions, I paused the conversation I’d been in with another colleague and positioned myself directly in his path so he couldn’t pass by without at least a quick hug. If I hadn’t done that, he still definitely would have smiled, waved and said hi! But especially since I was in a conversation, he would’ve just said hello and kept it moving. And you know what? That would have been fine and great. I still would have been happy to simply see him. But by positioning myself in the right place, I was able to have a more personal and meaningful interaction with him.

What are you positioning yourself for in your daily life as a follower of Jesus? Are you just catching the occasional Bible verse that passes by as you scroll on social media? Are you hearing some great teaching from your pastor but letting it pass through your brain by the time Monday morning rolls around? Are you just talking to God when you’re in dire need of help? 

As believers, we can position ourselves for receiving God’s absolute best. This might include godly wisdom, direction, insight and blessings. It might also mean a heightened awareness and gratitude when receiving His love, grace, forgiveness and mercy. Rather than letting things pass you by, you can have the mindset and discipline to purposefully position yourself to receive from the Lord in a meaningful and transformational way. For example… 

  • Instead of just listening to the sermon at church, you can take notes so you can revisit the teaching and wisdom when you need it most. You could also go back over what you learned throughout the week and meditate on it, asking God to engrave it on your heart. 
  • Instead of just praying when you need something, you can establish a regular prayer routine so you’re in constant conversation with God throughout your day. 
  • Instead of just reading Bible verses when they’re on your social media feed or studied at church, you can join a Bible study. If you’re not sure where to start, check out the WordGo app or find a Bible Study Fellowship class to join. 
  • Instead of just listening to worship music on Sunday mornings, you can fill your ears with it all week long! Play it at home, in your car and in your office. Get those melodies and lyrics so ingrained in your head and heart that they’ll be right there, ready to come to mind when you need to be encouraged. 
  • Instead of just praying as you drive, as you walk, or as you exercise on the elliptical (as I tend to do!), you can literally put your knees to the ground. Position yourself in still and reverent submission to the Lord as you listen for Him to speak to you.

You get the idea, right? Don’t be satisfied with the minimum from Jesus. Put routines and disciplines in place so that you’re in the right place to receive the fullness of His wisdom, love, grace, mercy and blessings. 

In Genesis 18, the Lord appeared to Abraham at his home. Scripture says Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby, and it seems clear that he knew they were visitors from the Lord. He could have just waved, said hello, and went about his business. But did he? Of course not. Abraham physically put himself into their path so they could not pass him by.

Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by.” -Genesis 18:2-3

He quite literally positioned himself to receive from the Lord. What ended up happening? Well, through these men, the Lord told Abraham that he and his wife would have a son by that time the following year. This was huge news! It would be an important step toward God keeping His covenant promise to Abraham, which you can read about throughout Genesis 12-17. Abraham had his senses perked, ready to hear from God, and then he put himself into position to carefully receive every word God had for Him.

Instead of letting my student pass me by with a simple hello, I positioned myself for a hug. His simple hello still would have been nice! But the hug was even better. Rather than letting God pass you by with fleeting interactions, guidance and insight, position yourself for the very best wisdom and blessings you can get from Him. Even casual relations from the Lord are nice! But receiving His best is, obviously, even better.