When reading this title, you may say, “Well Michelle, God is with us all the time”, and thankfully this is indeed so, as I wrote about in a previous post titled ‘God is always with us’. What I am talking about in this post, is our relationship with God. It is amazing to think that Mighty God who created the heavens and earth, wants a relationship with each of us; so comforting. In the end, all that is going to matter is our relationship with Jesus.
When thinking on Bible verses that relate to God wanting a relationship with us, I realised that actually the whole Bible is about it. God restoring our relationship with Him. That is just so beautiful; I am going to write on some aspects about it. Jesus Christ made a way for us to be reconciled to God. “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13, ESV)
The relationship that God wants to have with us, is not a distant type of one, but an intimate one. We are “…children of God…” (Romans 8:16, ESV), when we accept Jesus as our Saviour, because of the victory Jesus won on the cross. “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are…” (1 John 3:1, ESV). We are a part of God’s family, and even “…before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son” (Ephesians 1:4-6, NLT).
We are encouraged in 1 John 2:28, “…little children, abide in him…” (ESV). Jesus says, “…Abide in my love” (John 15:9, ESV). Or in other words “…Remain in my love” (John 15:9, NLT), or “…Make yourselves at home in my love” (John 15:9, MSG). This to me speaks of dwelling, staying and intimacy. God is always with us, but are we choosing to get to know Him better by spending time with Him. To build a relationship, we spend time together. God already knows everything about you; we get to spend time with Him, and get to know Him more and more. He is awesome to spend time with.
Time is precious. God has planned each day of our lives. He has planned the days for you before you were born, “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” (Psalm 139:16, ESV).
And each day, we need to “…live according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:5, ESV); surrendered and in obedience as He guides us. As we “…walk by the Spirit…” (Galatians 5:16, ESV), we “…walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us…” (Ephesians 5:2, ESV). Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit coming as our Helper, sent to us from our Father God (John 15:26, ESV); and the Holy Spirit is He who “…dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:17, ESV). We are a witness to others of God; “…if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit” (1 John 4:12-13, ESV). To explain further, “…God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him (1 John 4:16, ESV). In my life I have noticed how in living from a place of knowing in my heart how loved I am by God, love overflows to others.
In John 15:17, Jesus commands us to love one another, following this beautiful chapter in which Jesus explains how we bear fruit in our lives by abiding in Him. Jesus says as “…the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5, ESV). By spending time with, dwelling or living in relationship with our beautiful God, we bear fruit. As we delight in the Lord, a Psalmist describes us to be “like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers” (Psalm 1:3, ESV). Because of Jesus we “…flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon” (Psalm 92:12, ESV), still bearing fruit in old age (Psalm 92:14). Spending time with God each day.
Praying throughout our day, or as I have heard prayer described- having conversations with God throughout our day. There is much joy and peace in speaking to God, and then listening. Praising and worshipping in song. Also in spending time studying His Word, the Bible, as Jesus reminds us that we “…shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4, ESV). Daily intentionally “…building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life” (Jude 1:20-21, ESV). The free will that God gave me to decide whether I would allow Him into my life, did not mean He would not pursue me. He feels the same way about every person. He wants to spend time with you; He loves you so dearly. You are precious to Him (Isaiah 43:4).
We can often, however, be so negative about ourselves. We are too quick to criticise ourselves. Our beautiful God created each of us unique and beautiful. God’s beautiful creation is all around us – in nature and in other people. We need to remember that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14, ESV). We may criticise aspects of ourselves, but God has intricately chosen that for you. “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” (Psalm 139:13, ESV). When we have failed, we may feel disappointed and wonder why God would be interested to be near us at all. But remember that God is merciful and patient. We confess our sins, and we are forgiven and cleansed. Jesus made a way for us to be reconciled to, and spend time with our Father God. God passionately made a way for you, and wants a relationship with you.
When you feel lonely, which people can do even with other people around; reach out to God and share that with Him; let Him fill your heart and feel His warm embrace. Discover how much He is for you, and is interested in you and in how you feel. You need Him, and so do I. So does each person. Remember that He has a unique and beautiful plan for you. We have each been chosen and appointed. Jesus says “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” (John 15:16, ESV). We love because God first loved us (1 John 4:19). With the love we receive from God, we overflow love to others. Life is such an exciting adventure; spending our days getting to know God more and more, enjoying our relationship with Him. God wants to spend time with you, yes beautiful you.
Prayer
Dear Father God,
All glory and praise to You. There is none like You. You have established Your throne in the heavens, and Your kingdom rules over all (Psalm 103:19). Mighty God, thank-You for caring about the details of our lives, and loving us so much. Thank-you for pursuing me, and wanting a relationship with me.
Thank-You for forgiving me of my sins in Your grace and love. I want to abide in Your love, and get to know You more and more. I want to spend time with You. Thank-You for wisdom in how I spend my time, and for guiding me in our time together including when I pray and study Your Word. Thank-You for helping and empowering me daily, and that Your unique plan for me will prevail.
In Jesus name, Amen.