Back in 2014 I wrote this blog. It’s a subject that is never static and always growing or it atrophies. The following is that post but with revisions based on growing understandings.
Relationship
Who is your God? How do you see Him? Is He far off or close at hand? Is He a judge ready to convict you every time you do something wrong? Is He a loving Father that does chastise us when we do wrong but is also there to comfort us? What is your experience?
One of the early lessons I learned was that God was dynamic and not static. That He desires relationship but that it is our decision as to what kind of relationship we enter into with Him. This leads to – what kind of God do you need? First and foremost, God is. Period. He changes not according to His words (Malachi 3:6). And yet we see Him stay His hand of judgment when Moses prays for the people, that He would. However personally I believe that this is not the same thing. When it comes to Who He is as He has spoken in scripture, when it comes to the standards He function by, when it is the essential – these don’t change.
Another (incredibly important) point is that the Lord never gives us a date for the completion of His decisions. Example: remember Nineveh? Jonah got quite irritated that ‘the Lord changed His mind’ – He didn’t. He just knew the end from the beginning. In this case Nineveh repented and the Lord stayed His hand but years later they forgot and that which was stated – occurred. Our understanding and perception may grow but the essence doesn’t change. Another terrific lesson is that it proves He listens to us.
Back to the question – what is your relationship? Are you growing in this? I remember when I ‘encountered’ this question – who/what/when/why was my relationship? In the time of the Exodus, Moses was considered a friend of God. They walked and talked together. The people had seen, first-hand, what God could do and how He cared for them. What did the people do? Exodus 20:19 – “Then they said to Moses, ‘You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.'” And so it was Moses and not the people with Moses that had the relationship.
1Peter 2:9 – once again God came to His people, seeking a much closer relationship: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…” Peter is speaking to the people who have believed on and accepted Jesus as Lord. This is our promise, our right – NOW. Again… what kind of relationship do you want with your Lord and God?
Are you, we acting on how the Lord tells us HE sees us? Are we a chosen generation? If so, what are we doing with His choice? Are we acting as a royal priesthood, holy nation, special people… are WE proclaiming the praises of our God? Remember He never tells us something we can’t do. He’s also ready to help us act on what together, in relationship, we can accomplish.
Relationship encompasses so much of who we are, how we grow, what we do with our learnings. It involves our whole being and How we do the who, grow, actions. Remember it was always God who came to man to create a covenant – it never has been the opposite. I believe the Father, the Triune God, has always wanted relationship – why do you think the devil has tried so hard to interfere in this?
But don’t just take my word for it. Scripture shows us beginning in Genesis all the way through Revelation that His love for us was the foundation for relationship.
For a deeper dive see: https://www.openbible.info/topics/relationship_with_god
I believe that from the moment God chose to create man, and create us in His image that He desired a relationship with us. Look at all He did with Adam before the fall.
