By Kaye Johns

For 46 years of my life, though I prayed, though I attended church regularly, I would have had to answer -- no, I didn’t know our Lord, not in a personal way. I didn’t even realize that I could, or should. And because I didn’t know Him personally, I only knew about Him, I didn’t love Him. I respected Him. I worshiped Him. I tried to obey Him. But if He had asked me, "Do you love me with all your heart?" I could only have said no.

I now know why. Most of my adult life I had tried -- and failed -- to have a daily quiet time, a time to pray and to read the Bible. And because I had not spent time with Him, I could not know Him personally. I prayed, but I always prayed on the run, and I did all the talking.

Now, eight years later, I can say I have had a consistent time with the Lord almost every day. I have the joy of experiencing a personal love relationship with Jesus Christ. It has nothing to do with what church we attend or what denomination we belong to. It has to do with being a Christian who spends enough time with the Lord and with His Word to know the fundamentals of what I believe because I’ve read and studied for myself, and because I have experienced the truth of it in real and practical ways.

It didn’t happen overnight, but it began the moment I began giving Him my undivided attention for at least a few minutes of every morning. Henry Blackaby says, in Experiencing God, "Everything in your Christian Life, everything about knowing the Lord and experiencing Him, everything about knowing His will, depends on the quality of your love relationship with Him." I have found that to be true in my life.

I lived most of my life without having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and I bear witness to the truth that living with Him is far better. Knowing and loving the Lord in a personal way is not only possible, but enriches our lives and adds to our joy beyond measure.

Andrew Murray, in his book The Inner Life, writes, "It is impossible to live our daily Christian life or maintain a walk in the leading and power of the Holy Spirit, without a daily, close fellowship with God. The morning watch [quiet time] serves to secure the presence of Christ for the whole day." To me, this precious time in the morning serves to establish the line of communication for the day. Once I’ve given Him my life, told Him how much I love Him, confessed my sins to be sure He will hear my prayers -- I know that He will not only listen, but respond as I pray "on the run" all day.

It is impossible to have a personal, love relationship with the Lord without giving Him a few minutes of your undivided attention every day. Do we realize what we give up by choosing not to know Him personally? Do we think He will hear and answer our prayers if we refuse to obey the first and greatest commandment, to love Him with all our heart?