This is a relationship
re·la·tion·ship
–noun
1. connection between persons by blood
What is a relationship?
Maybe it’s family. Maybe it’s romance. Or maybe it’s something much bigger than any of that—something defined by the one who established the greatest relationship in history. A connection between persons by blood.
Do you remember? Our freedom—our ability to approach the Almighty God—is bought with a price. Only after blood had been shed was the curtain torn in two: God and man united by God and Christ divided.
Sometimes, I forget about this relationship, because all too often I forget what a relationship really means. It’s not just something you can turn on with the push of a button, and then carry on with your life. This is a relationship that should be your life! Something you delight in, hope in…participate in!
But I forget…and I don’t.
I think one of our greatest blessings is our ability to ignore the relationship. Why? Because of who we are: human beings in the image of God, with the capacity to love as he does. It’s one thing to understand that Christ provides a relationship, but something else entirely to run into his arms and embrace it! Love is a choice. Love is an action. Love is doing something.
If you touch a hot stove, your brain instantly tells your hand to pull away. We have been given a gift: the ability to forget the relationship, and the ability to realize what we’ve forgotten.
I’m not writing this as some sort of excuse for those times when you feel far away from God, but rather a reminder: this is a relationship. Take action with the gift you have been given. Pour your time and energy into your relationship with the Creator of the universe!
This is a relationship forged with blood. Live like you believe it.
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” – Revelation 3:20
Absolutely beautiful. A song that comes to mind here is called “The Power of the Cross”. We sang it at church a few weeks ago, the lyrics have been swimming in my head since.
“Oh to see my name written in the wound
For through Your suf’fring I am free
Death is crushed to death, life is mine to live
Won through Your selfless love”
I’ve always thought a relationship consisted of two people loving each other. Love = selfless sacrifice. Giving up what we want, our desires, for the one we ‘love’. So, to have a relationship with Christ, He gives us eternal life through His shed blood, and we give up our worldly desires, for His. Kinda’ sorta’ goes with my blogpost.
What do you think?
Beth,
How beautiful! God has given you a talent to write. Our relationship with Christ is an unbelievable one and one that we often take for granted. How wonderful!
Love you!
I like the song lyrics…very beautiful. As for my thoughts…I don’t really know, but to me, it seems like one of those things that can’t be condensed into a formula or anything close. Having a relationship with God shouldn’t be something we’re always working at, worried that we’re doing something wrong–but at the same time, we should be working at it, because genuine love will lead to genuine action.
So I guess that’s the key: genuine love. A relationship isn’t about a list of do’s and don’ts. In its most basic form, it’s God loving us and us loving God. If we have the love, giving up our worldly desires isn’t such a big deal anymore. (Or…shouldn’t be. No, I haven’t reached that point yet.
)
Thanks for the comment, Ben. And Aunt Carla, thanks for stopping by and reading!