Too often, I think our relationship with God is over-formalized and under-developed. As my heart longs for a lifestyle of prayer and obedience on our campus, I realize time and time again that people are intimidated by the idea of talking with God and are reluctant to follow His voice when they do hear from Him.

Before Joan of Arcadia premiered, I rarely heard of anyone talking with God. For two years, primetime television promoted a drama detailing a teenage girl's relationship with the divine. Event hough the script was a fictional storyline and has little- if any- theological merit, I found comfort in Joan's intimate relationship with her Creator. He walked with her, talked with her, gently persuaded her, passionately fought with her, guided her through her daily life, chased her down when she ran away, and pulled her back on track... time and time again.

As a teenager, I related much more with Joan's story than I did with my catechism material at church. Joan heard God's voice, but was reluctant to listen to it. Actually, she was often irritated that He even spoke to her. I loved that Joan's story seemed real enough. Her faith wasn't perfect. She didn't want to hear God sometimes, and she definitely didn't want to complete the missions He sent her on or obey the instructions he had given her.

I think that we all have times like that. We know His voice... but we stop making time to hear it or we refuse to listen. The conversation with God seems too complex, too far off, too difficult, too ridiculously weird... *insert excuse here*. We slowly push Him away. Sometimes subconsciously, sometimes intentionally...

"Joan: Look, we had some good times. And I'm fine with you being, you know, the divine "it." But I don't want to see you anymore. It's not you. It's me. I--I'm just-- I'm not the girl for you. I--I had... a taste of normal, and...I really liked it, you know? I really enjoyed being optimistic and... making my lamps."

In this episode, Joan tried to break off her relationship with God. I must admit there are times that I too have "wanted" to call it off. "God I'm done with you, I can't do this anymore. Too much information, too much conviction, too many expectations, too many unknowns... I'm always confused, always trying to make sense of this... Can I please just be normal again?" Oh the rants I have made and the stupid things I have done trying to create some distance between the two of us.

I think in my irrational moments, He laughs at me with a little disappointment because He knows that I'll realize my stupidity, repent, and come crawling back on my knees. In the sitcom, God responded to Joan with the question that I think God asks all of us when we stop making Him a priority in our lives.
"God: Don't you miss me a little?
Joan: No... Please go."
God: Do you miss yourself? Because I do."

Yeah, I do. When I am not doing devotions, when I am not spending time in prayer, when I am not studying the Bible, when I am not listening for His voice, when I am not obeying His commands, when I am not walking with God... I truly miss myself. We were created to be in relationship with Him. When we neglect that relationship, we are destroying ourselves.

"When a man is born from above, the life of the Son of God is born in him, and he can either starve that life or nourish it. Prayer is the way the life of God is nourished. .....

... prayer changes me and I change things...." - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

Like Joan's silly story line, talking with God is messy sometimes. Abraham negotiated with Him, Sarah laughed at Him, Jacob wrestled with Him, Jonah ran away from Him, Peter betrayed Him... the story lines are messy and trying, but the hero is always the same and He is always victorious.

To drawer closer to Him and participate in His plan, we have to develop a relationship where we communicate with God. We need to pray... to listen for His voice, to follow His guidance, to allow Him to change us, so that we can be agents of change in this world and glorify His name .... so that we can be who He created us to be.

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