“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
(Hebrews 4; 14-16, AMP)
When it comes to relationship, what does this scripture tell you? Do you focus on ‘high priest’ or ‘One who can sympathize’? It makes a tremendous amount of difference which is your basis of relationship. And yes, both are important. Maybe the question is… is your relationship with the Lord one that is evolving, growing or, if not, what does characterize it?
If you only turn to the Lord when you need forgiveness or are seeking His hand for something then I believe this is incredibly limiting and one-sided. You do bring something to the relationship you know… you bring you and whatever defines your you. If the Lord doesn’t have access and input into every area of your life, do you really have a relationship?
One of the most memorable comments Jesus makes to His disciples (and by extension to us) related to relationships is:
“You are my friends if you keep on doing what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you [My] friends, because I have revealed to you everything that I have heard from My Father. You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you, so that you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit will remain and be lasting, …”
(John 15:14-16, AMP)
Actually the entire 15th chapter of John is incredibly important to and for us, especially as it speaks to relationship. Specifically, in these 3 verses Jesus states that He calls His disciples – friends. Friends! Is that your description of your relationship with the Lord? If not, why? If so, how? When I first read the word, my immediate reaction was one of joy because, to me, relationship means doing things together.
I believe that some of the components important in developing a relationship are indicated here. The first is that the Lord has revealed everything that He has heard from the Father. But revelation doesn’t just drop into our laps. It is something to be pursued and studied to understand. Again, if He did this then we can know from His Word, now and apply it to our lives.
The second word that jumps out at me and is a component in relationship is chosen. We have been chosen by the Lord, just as He chose His disciples. What a wonderful position to be in – chosen. Remember, He knows us, He knows all about us and yet He chose us. How can we refuse to accept being accepted? But it isn’t a ‘pat on the head’ kind of choice. He equips and enables us to be effective, fruitful, and abundant in this life. He wants us to feel that we can contribute and we can when we abide in Him (v. 4-11). Related to chosen is appointed and planted. We are not a mistake, we are precisely where we need to be and doing what we need to. Apart from relationship – not. We may be Christians, but we have to chose to be Christians which includes these 2 words.
The last component in relationship defined in chapter 15 is the end of the 16th verse: fruit will remain and be lasting. It is being in relationship that can give us our confidence that this will be the result. We have never been asked to ‘go it alone’, not sure how we get blindsided by this thought. It certainly isn’t the Lord’s. How many times does He need to tell us to abide in Him and that He will never leave us? So… since ‘going it alone’ is a lie, we can guess where it comes from. Repudiate it!
We have been invited into a relationship with the Lord. With Him you can define and describe what this is for you.
