Have you ever been on a mission trip with a group, been to summer camp with church friends, or undertaken a project together with your Sunday School class? Then you know how it is that little sayings pop up or funny episodes are shared within the group. When new people come into the group later, they are on the outside because the group has these little inside jokes or incidents that only they know about or can understand.

The same thing happens in families. It may be the history of a nickname or something Joey said when he was a toddler. One inside joke in my family was the “white belt.” Back in the leisure suit days, I wanted to bring my dad up to style by giving him a white belt for his birthday. I didn’t think about the fact that he would need white shoes to go with his white belt. Then it called for a new leisure suit to go with the white belt and white shoes… well you get the idea. So, when we receive a gift that calls for something else, we say, “Another white belt!”

Why do these special inside things happen? Simply because we spend time together and get to know each other. We share life.

The same thing happens when we spend time with our heavenly Father. (Yes, I’m back on the “be still” theme because it’s so important.)

My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul. Psalm 131:1-2

Do you remember the incident I told you about several blogs ago? I was seeking the Lord in prayer when a beam of sunlight came through the closed blinds by way of a tiny hole where the string goes through the slat. I took that as the presence of the Lord being near me.

Since that incident, I often lift my face up to the sun as I walk along by myself on bright days and just soak in His warmth with a smile.

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to go to our sun room for my quiet time where I have a better view of the trees outside the large window. I sat down determined to be still for a few minutes to seek the Lord’s presence. The trees were packed full of leaves, but after a minute or so, the sun found a small opening and shone right on my face – a remembrance of that other time. I prayed and praised for awhile and when I opened my eyes, the sun had moved on. The sun in my face has become our little inside intimacy. How does this happen? Because we spend time together. Simple as that.

After the “woman caught in the act of adultery” incident (last three blogs), John says:

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

May the Lord shed His light on you this week as you develop your own intimacies (inside jokes) with Him. It comes with continual stilled and quieted time.

~  Joyce ~