The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend (Exodus 33:11).

A friend and I started regular “walk and talks” in January of this year. We take turns meeting in each other’s neighborhoods, and for an hour or so we walk, talk, and solve the world’s problems...at least for that day! :) 

What started as a way for each of us to get out of our houses mid-Covid lockdown has continued to be something we look forward to, and as Covid restrictions have been lifted we’ve continued our regular walk and talks. It’s an encouragement to me for someone to hear my thoughts and share hers in return, and I always leave our times together feeling #blessed.

Exodus 33:11 breaks down prayer in a beautifully simple way: God spoke to Moses face-to-face, like friends...and that means you and I can talk to God that way as well. We strengthen relationships with friends through time spent together: sharing a coffee or a meal, a hobby, or simply walking and talking! It makes sense that, in the same way, time spent with God deepens our relationship with Him. 

“In the Garden” is one of my favorite hymns, and it fits perfectly with our scripture this week. I’ve been humming it all week while brainstorming writing ideas. The chorus:

And He walks with me

And He talks with me

And He tells me I am his own

And the joy we share as we tarry there

None other has ever known

Prayer need not be complicated. When I was a teenager, a youth group leader challenged me to pretend like Jesus was sitting right next to me wherever I was and to talk to Him like I was talking to a friend. Something about that made prayer “click” for me, and thus began a deeper relationship with my friend, the Savior of the world. As a teenager I prayed alone in my room, but as a mom of teenagers a lot of my prayers take place in the modern day tent-of-meeting on wheels: my minivan! If you see me rollin’ through PBO or down highway 64 and it looks like I’m talking--it’s because I am!

It seems too easy...this idea that we can talk to the God of the universe like we would a flesh-and-bones friend, but it’s true! When you’re with a friend, do you worry about what words you’re going to say, or do you just start talking? Today’s challenge is to picture Jesus sitting next to you wherever you are, and to start talking. It’s as easy as that!