Recently I had an experience in my bathtub. Yep. In the bathtub.
I had my head in the water and I was pondering the kindness and beauty of God. While underwater, I whispered, “I adore you.”
As I exhaled a literal whisper, “I adore you,” I saw and simultaneously experienced a sacred interchange.
My words were sent like a smooth breeze, from my lips, straight to the heart of God. He received them into himself, and infused them with rich, bright, deep love. Then he bounced them back to me as His own. Without effort, I absorbed them as truth.
It happened so instantaneously, I was stunned for just a second.
“You are beautiful!” … “You are beautiful.”
“You are worthy!” … “You are worthy.”
“You are powerful!” … “You are powerful.”
The point is that adoration and worship are not a one-way street. When we point our affection at HIM, we can become aware of his vibrant affection for US!
My religious mindset has believed worship and adoration to be an effort of thrusting my praises to Heaven in hopes that He receives even just a portion of them. In so doing, I would be noticed and appreciated in return.
But the truth is that God’s affections for me have never ceased. God’s affections for YOU have never ceased. God’s affections CAN’T cease based on our behavior. He would be denying his very nature, to stop adoring His kids.
As mom to “The Pinks,” I can get really frustrated with their behavior, all the while not losing my adoration of them. I love them, not based on their behaviors/choices. I love them because they are mine. Bone of my bone. Flesh of my flesh. If I, mere human, feel that way about my daughters, how must a faultless God feel about us?
Back to my bathtub experience. The whispers of God are ROARS of truth. His whispers came in such a powerful way, He may as well have been roaring into my spirit that morning.
This type of God-communication is reflected in 1 Kings 19:12 “After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper“.
Holy Spirit, thank you for whisper-roaring into my heart that morning in the bathtub. I pray for each of my friends reading this, that they will become aware of your nearness in ways that catch their breath. In your mercy and kindness, whisper-roar the truth into THEIR spirit that they may be empowered and encouraged to walk in the truth of who YOU say they are. I love you.
Kati Schmucker is wife to John and mom to “The Pinks” (Lydia, Hannalee, and Abriel). She is currently serving as Director of Biblical Counseling at SPA Women’s Ministry Homes in Elkhart, IN. She is very active in her local church, loves to read, worship and sip coffee alone in the early morning hours.