How Do You Talk to God?
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day. Genesis 3:8
What images come to mind when you try to picture the garden of Eden? Maybe you think of Monet’s garden in Giverny or a local botanical garden you’ve visited. Perhaps you imagine a safari park with elephants, tigers, and gazelles gathered around a pond.
Those scenes flit through my thoughts. But the aspect of Adam and Eve’s life in Eden that intrigues me most is those “cool of the day” walks with God mentioned in Genesis 3. I wonder about the questions Adam and Eve asked. What were God’s answers? What did the couple tell God about their day? And what did he tell them about 
his activities?
Conversations with God.
Does that possibility intrigue you?
As someone who accepted Jesus as Savior at a young age, I’ve been talking to God for decades. But how many times have I had a conversation with him?
What’s the difference between talking to him and conversing with him? If I view prayer as a monologue—me telling God what I want him to do or giving him a list of complaints—I’ve missed the leisurely stroll concept described in Genesis 3. Conversation is a dialogue: one person talks while the other listens, then the roles are reversed.
The Bible tells us that God spoke to Moses “face to face, as one speaks to a friend” (Exodus 33:11). Were the forty days Moses spent on Mt. Sinai filled with spirited conversations as well as periods of silent contemplation? (See Exodus 24:18; 34:28.)
Jesus reinforced the conversational aspect of a relationship with God as he traveled the dusty roads of Palestine with the twelve disciples. They had many conversations about mundane matters—where to sleep and what to eat. They also discussed profound theological dilemmas: “Who sinned, this man or his parents?” (John 9:2). Mealtime with Jesus. Stargazing with Jesus. Swapping stories on a fishing excursion. Scripture study after synagogue worship.
Think of the best conversations you’ve had with friends or family. Then imagine that same level of intimacy with Jesus. That’s what prayer is designed to be—the best conversations we’ve ever had with the One who loves us most.
How would you describe your prayer life—monologues or conversations?
Dig Deeper
Read the conversation between Adam, Eve, and God in Genesis 3:8–21. What does God reveal about himself? What do Adam and Eve reveal about themselves? What do you think the relationship between Adam, Eve, and God was like after their discussion?
Read the interaction between Moses and God in Exodus 33:12–23. What did they discuss? How did God respond to Moses’s questions? Have you ever asked God similar questions? How did he respond?
Read the dialogue between Mary Magdalene and Jesus in John 20:14–17. How would you describe their relationship? Is that how you would describe your relationship with Jesus? Why?
Denise K. Loock
This devotion is included in our book Restore the Conversation.