Develop Your Relationship By Michael Youssef, Ph.D. In our busy lives, we rush from one commitment to another, barely stopping to catch our breath. And sometimes it is our relationships that suffer—our relationships with our spouse, our children, our friends and even our God. When you face a hectic day in the morning, do you take time to prepare by spending time with God or by dropping by the coffee shop? When you face crises during the day, do you pause to ask God for help and strength, or do you just vent to the people around you? And when you arrive home, exhausted and frustrated, do you seek the presence of God, or do you find solace in front of the television? Sometimes it seems that we just forget God is here. We take Him for granted. We may love Him, and we may want to spend more time with Him, but He is not always our top priority. Think of your human relationships. For them to be healthy, strong, and personal, we need to work at them. Our relationship with God is no different—we must communicate with Him and express our love if we want a thriving relationship. Even Jesus Christ, who is God Himself, routinely fellowshipped with His Father through prayer: “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God” (Luke 6:12). We cannot expect a close walk with God if we never talk to Him. God desires our fellowship. He wants to be the One we share our struggles and heartaches with. He wants to be the One we share our joys and successes with. And God wants to share Himself as well. As we studied the self-given names of God, we learned that God pursues us by revealing His nature and character to us. He shares the core of His being as most powerful, high, holy, and righteous through His names El-Shaddai, Elohim, Jehovah-Mekaddish, and Jehovah-Tsidkenu. He says, “I love you, Child,” by healing us as Jehovah-Rapha, and providing for us as Jehovah-Jireh. When we face dark times and battles, He is our Banner, Jehovah-Nissi; our Shepherd, Jehovah-Rohi; our overwhelming peace as Jehovah-Shalom; and is always present as Jehovah-Shammah. And He tells us that we belong to Him as Adonai. Do not stop learning about the nature of God. Continue praying and praising God daily, using the names and the descriptions of God. Spend time in God’s Word, reading about how God interacts with His people and how He cares for us. You’ll be surprised at the new insights the Holy Spirit will give you when you truly delve into the Scriptures searching for truth. Begin thinking of God daily and the investment you need to make for your relationship with Him to thrive. Prayer: Lord, forgive me for the ways I have neglected my relationship with You. Empower me, by Your Spirit, to make time with You my priority. I love you. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth (Psalm 46:10).
Posted on: Mon, 20 Jan 2014 21:58:38 +0000
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