I write about and teach on relationship… a great deal. Our relationship with the Triune God is (and I rarely, if ever, use this word) AWESOME!!! We can live in a relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Can you wrap your head around that? And, as it is in any relationship, we have to be an active part in this. We help determine how that relationship is and grows.
Many times, the impact of relationship is subtle and sometimes it’s in your face. In a way, all my books’ entries are about some facet related to relationship. And while there are all sorts of relationships, I’m talking about our relationship with the Lord. The reasons are that I never tire discovering and sharing about this. I think it goes without saying that this relationship is so very critical to our health.
Relationship building is a never ending creation. We are continually discovering new aspects to what the word means… and if not, then we are in danger of having it atrophy. And when I say ‘health’ I’m talking about the condition of our soul.
“Beloved, I pray that in every way you may succeed and prosper and be in good health [physically], just as [I know] your soul prospers [spiritually].”
[3 John 1:2]
To me, John is teaching a number of concepts – all related to relationship. As foundation we read in Ephesians:
“In this [union and fellowship with Him], love is completed and perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him]; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love [dread does not exist]. But perfect (complete, full-grown) love drives out fear, because fear involves [the expectation of divine] punishment, so the one who is afraid [of God’s judgment] is not perfected in love [has not grown into a sufficient understanding of God’s love]. We love, because He first loved us.”
[1 John 4:17-19]
There are so many lessons to be discovered in these verses from John. I do believe that ‘relationship’ is defined by verse 19: ‘We love, because He first loved us.” Without His love I wonder if we’d really know what love is and does. Love is never only words… it’s the foundation for actions. As a guide, we have 1 Corinthians 13. Remember… love never fails.
In John 15 Jesus, in one of His last teachings talks about Abiding in Him. It’s there that we increase our strength. And as we do, there is a promise – that we will be fruitful. But again, it begins in relationship. We NEED to be in relationship with our source… but not just with His hand. He tells us to abide in Him. I believe it is in the abiding that we begin to understand more fully.
However, how I define ‘relationship’ may not be how you do. What is your definition? How do you see it manifested in your life? Is it an ever evolving discovery? The reason You need to have your answers is because I do not believe that our Triune God ever interferes. He never intrudes where He isn’t wanted. I do believe that He created us for relationship and some of my examples are seen in Genesis. God brought the animals to Adam to be named and He walked in the cool of the morning with Adam and Eve. He gave the Garden of Eden to them to oversee.
When we read the New Testament we read a remarkable statement by Jesus. He called His disciples… friends. He tells them He has told them everything – where He is going and why. And, He tells them that He will ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit to bring to their remembrance all He has said. All that speaks to relationship in my world because if I have made Jesus my Lord, then I have everything He has prepared for me.
