Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Living God inside looking out from a desk with a view of the porch and that will be our Meeting Place throughout the colder months. It’s as close to the front porch as I can get without being there, and it’s a place that has special meaning to me. “Setting the scene” is important to me because the “scene” prepares my Heart for our Time together. After all, if my Heart isn’t on board to seek His Face and to Hear His voice, why would He be inclined toward me either? So, I changed the geography and I adjusted our Meeting Place and we had an amazing One-on-one time together this morning. Don’t you go out of your way to “set the scene” for your Time with the Living God too?

It can be so easy to take our Time with Living God for granted while we squeeze in a little time here and there when we can, but we miss out on the Rich Relationship that’s possible with Him when we do. He’s God, and He’s not going anywhere no matter how often we blow Him off for better things to do, and no matter how little quality Time we’re willing to spend with Him. Most of us take the time to make our time with our family and friends very special. We tidy up and clean the house and we fret over what they’ll eat and drink. We decorate for the season, we put on just the right music, and we serve their favorite foods. We’re thrilled when they notice the effort we put into pleasing them so that our time together will be the BEST that it can be. When we set out to please…IT SHOWS.

Sometimes a family member or friend needs a little one-on-one time to share what’s on their mind. When they show up, we don’t fret a whole lot about the house or what they’ll eat and drink. Instead, we make sure to remove the distractions as best we can, and we offer a comfortable seat with a hot cup of coffee. We “set the scene” for them to open up about what’s on their Heart and what’s going on in their world…and IT SHOWS. It’s the simple things we do that are a reflection of the Heart, and when the Heart is warmed and glowing…the relationships grow. Why would it be any different for the Living God?

There are countless ways we prepare for time spent with other people and it seems like we never grow tired of putting in the effort to set the scene for any occasion at all…at least when we love and respect the one(s) we’re meeting with that’s true. We pour our hearts into the preparations and we spare nothing at all when we roll out the red carpet. But when it comes to the Living God… setting the “scene” doesn’t seem to matter to a whole lot of people because they don’t think it matters to Him. Worldly things don’t impress the One who Created every ounce of gold and every precious jewel, that’s for sure. But we ALWAYS impress Him when we pour our hearts into Preparing to meet with Him. We ALWAYS Please Him when we make sure our time is Quality Time…and not just an obligation. He deserves to have our undivided attention. He deserves to have a quiet place when He Whispers to our Soul. He deserves to have the music off when He wants to play the Sweetest Sounds within the Heart. He deserves to not be in competition with cell phones, computers, or television blaring in the background. If anybody deserves Quality Time and a heart that is poured into pleasing and Preparing…it’s the Living God.

I don’t have all the answers in life, but I do have my Priorities straight. God comes first. My family second. My work is last on the list. I serve each of these with excellence…beginning with the King of kings. He’s there for me 24/7 and He will “be there” for all of eternity. The least I can do to Please Him is to pour my Heart into Preparation so that our Time together is as Good as it can possibly be. First, I roll out the red carpet for Him…and THEN it gets rolled out to my loved ones. Every relationship in my Life is rich and it overflows with love ALL BECAUSE each day begins with me Pleasing my First Priority.

How about you?