The Relationship

When God puts something in front of me repeatedly, I have to assume He is trying to get my attention regarding it.  This past week I found God kept pointing me toward a relationship.  This relationship is the key foundation to my faith.   God desires for us to have a close relationship with Him.  For people who know only of church and don't know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior - they are missing the entire reason why Jesus came and died on the cross for us.  It isn't about being Methodist, Catholic, Baptist or whatever other denomination you can come up with.  It is all about knowing Jesus.    John 14:6  "Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."  It is always sad when someone leaves a fellowship of other believers because of something to do with the "church" or "some of the people of a church".   I say heaven help you if that is why you are going to celebrate and worship.  When you go to fellowship or spend time with Jesus, it should be about Jesus...not the nut who is sitting behind you perhaps passing judgment on everyone who sets foot in the door (just one example). If it was just about a religion/church, Jesus wouldn't have made the effort to leave His heavenly kingdom to come here to earth.  Jesus came here - to us.  He lived for us.  He didn't come here and sit in the largest seat inside some beautiful temple.  No, he was out in the every day life of people.  He was side by side with them with a strong desire to know them.  He walked this earth for 30 years.  He gave us a picture of Who God is.  What does that picture tell you?  God desires to walk among us. God wants the relationship. 

One of my sweet friends told me a story this past week.  She referenced a young person who had just moved in with friends and was trying to do their part.  The young person made dinner, cleaned the house and cut the grass. One of the people they were staying with came home and said  "Hello" with a straight face and with no appreciation for what the young person had done.  How do you think that made the person feel?  Would you think that would make for a good relationship?  No. The young person would have felt more accepted, loved and appreciated if the person would have been more gracious and told them thank you with a smile and perhaps shown more enthusiasm for the effort made. Spending time with God is the same way.  He doesn't want us to just read a prayer out of a book or quote some words in a prayer we know.  He wants us!  He wants us to open up and pour our hearts out to Him.  He wants us to talk to Him about everything we are feeling.  He wants us to be so overwhelmed by all He has done for us and to come to Him and express it from the bottom of our hearts.  He wants to connect with us and for us to recognize Him and His love for us.  He wants to spend time with you and know you!  This is a true relationship. 

I will use the example of a boyfriend/girlfriend.  When you first have an interest in a person you think of them all the time, want to speak with them all the time and you want to spend as much time with them as possible.  This is what a relationship looks like.  Where are you with your relationship with Christ?  Are you constantly thinking about Him and all He desires to do in and through you today?  Are you talking with him throughout the day asking His protection, guidance & peace of mind?  Are you hungry to know everything about Him you can possibly know?  If not, are you truly in love with Him?  Where is your heart when it concerns Jesus?  Do you love Him?  Are you appreciative for all He did for you?  Are you mindful of the fact He left Heaven to come here and live to show you how important you are to Him.  He came here to live for you.  He came here to die for you.  He walked the road to Calvary to His death to save you from your sins. And praise God, He arose for you and ascended into Heaven to go and prepare a place for you.  John 14:1-3  "“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.  My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." How can you not want to love this One, Who has done all of this for you? 

Solidify your relationship with Christ today!  John 15:12-15  " My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command.  I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."