And since I don't see him often, it isn't a surprise that he doesn't run into my arms. Even though that is exactly what I desire him to do. If I force him to do that, I may push him away and damage the relationship I want with him. His tendency is to cling to what he knows, his parents.
However, as I spend more time with him, he starts to warm up to me, wanting to know what I'm doing, watching where I am going and asking about me when I am not there. And as our relationship grows, my joy for the relationship continues to grow even though my love for him remains the same.
Isn't this exactly how God feels about us?
He wants the relationship and loves us regardless of whether we acknowledge Him but His joy grows when we do acknowledge Him. When I watch my nephew, and I see the love, attraction and dependence he has for his parents, I know that is exactly the type of relationship that God desires with us.
As I look back through the years in my walk with Jesus, when I have struggled in my journey, I was the little child seeing Him for the first time in a long time. I would cling to the things that were comfortable around me (my sinful life) and struggle to approach him (spend time with Him). However, as I spent more time with Him, the desire to be with Him grew to where I wanted to push everything else aside. I recently read that it is like getting a taste of something that develops into a hunger that needs to be regularly satisfied. So true!
So why do we struggle? Why does God feel so distant sometimes? Why do I choose not to spend time with Him? What happens to the hunger? And why does He allow this to happen?!
I don't know about you but I can name so many reasons: busy with work, family commitments, disappointment with 'unanswered' prayer, too tired, a church issue, exercise, etc...
For me, it all stems back to doing things my way. It's my desire over His desire which is exactly what got us into all this trouble when Eve chose the apple instead of honoring God's desire.
It’s my desire to spend more time at work to get the promotion. My desire to spend time playing a video game. My desire to watch a movie. My desire to fill the family timetable that leaves me exhausted. My desire to ignore the unresolved disagreement that festers into anger.
My desire versus His desire. My will over His will.
As I look back through the years in my walk with Jesus, when I have struggled in my journey, I was the little child seeing Him for the first time in a long time. I would cling to the things that were comfortable around me (my sinful life) and struggle to approach him (spend time with Him). However, as I spent more time with Him, the desire to be with Him grew to where I wanted to push everything else aside. I recently read that it is like getting a taste of something that develops into a hunger that needs to be regularly satisfied. So true!
So why do we struggle? Why does God feel so distant sometimes? Why do I choose not to spend time with Him? What happens to the hunger? And why does He allow this to happen?!
I don't know about you but I can name so many reasons: busy with work, family commitments, disappointment with 'unanswered' prayer, too tired, a church issue, exercise, etc...
For me, it all stems back to doing things my way. It's my desire over His desire which is exactly what got us into all this trouble when Eve chose the apple instead of honoring God's desire.
It’s my desire to spend more time at work to get the promotion. My desire to spend time playing a video game. My desire to watch a movie. My desire to fill the family timetable that leaves me exhausted. My desire to ignore the unresolved disagreement that festers into anger.
My desire versus His desire. My will over His will.
As I said earlier, my nephew is establishing his own personality. He is a great kid, with lots of energy and excitement, happy to please his parents. But occasionally, he is choosing what he wants to do and what he doesn't want to do. He knows that he is choosing his own way. His desire versus his parents’ desire. And while his parents would like him to do their will, forcing him would hinder the growth of his personality and the relationship between parent and child.
God doesn't force us to do His Will because that isn't the example of a loving parent. Much like a parent, He rejoices in knowing we have chosen His desire over our own.
To know His desire, requires a relationship. Much like my nephew not knowing what my desires are, I can not hope to know God’s desire without having a good relationship with Him.
Over the last 6 months, there have been 3 specific disciplines I have practiced that have improved my relationship with Jesus. I wish I could say that they are original ideas - they are not! Just about every Christian book I read suggests these ideas in different ways. Sometimes we just need to hear it 101 times before it sinks in!
1/ The Word
Reading the Bible has always been a struggle for me. I have tried multiple times to get into a consistent pattern without success. There are so many decisions to make: which version; where to start; how much to read; what time of day to read; how to read it.
It is a daunting exercise, especially for new believers! But even after 15 years, I was still struggling with where to go/start.
My formula isn't anything special and isn't going to work for everyone. I read every day at 6 am before the house awakes. Yes, even weekends. I am reading the New Testament for the second time in the past 6 months using the 'The Message' version and earlier I did it using the NIV version. I read 3 to 5 chapters, which is considered a lot in a single sitting but my objective is to read the complete Bible, and then go back and read it again, and again.
My challenge in the past had been that I never felt the Bible speak to me. Now, there are more and more days where I get stuck on a specific passage and it just speaks volumes into me, often thinking about it hours (even days) later.
And while I may have felt I 'needed' to do my reading every day, I now 'want' to read every day. If I miss a day or two of reading, I can't wait to get up the next day to get back at it.
2/ Prayer
Our church recently finished a series about Prayer based on the book 'The Circle Maker' (an excellent book btw). As part of the series, our small group committed to praying for 30 days straight. We had a set list of 'Mountain-like' prayers that we had each shared and we prayed each and every day over those individual prayer requests.
The challenge was interesting in a number of ways. First, it was a challenge to identify our audacious prayer requests. We had to trust that God wants to honor our wishes, even the big ones and not simply throw up the prayer requests that don't necessarily impact us - such as Aunt Lilly's infected toe. We can trust Him with everything, but are we really doing that?
To know His desire, requires a relationship. Much like my nephew not knowing what my desires are, I can not hope to know God’s desire without having a good relationship with Him.
Over the last 6 months, there have been 3 specific disciplines I have practiced that have improved my relationship with Jesus. I wish I could say that they are original ideas - they are not! Just about every Christian book I read suggests these ideas in different ways. Sometimes we just need to hear it 101 times before it sinks in!
1/ The Word
Reading the Bible has always been a struggle for me. I have tried multiple times to get into a consistent pattern without success. There are so many decisions to make: which version; where to start; how much to read; what time of day to read; how to read it.
It is a daunting exercise, especially for new believers! But even after 15 years, I was still struggling with where to go/start.
My formula isn't anything special and isn't going to work for everyone. I read every day at 6 am before the house awakes. Yes, even weekends. I am reading the New Testament for the second time in the past 6 months using the 'The Message' version and earlier I did it using the NIV version. I read 3 to 5 chapters, which is considered a lot in a single sitting but my objective is to read the complete Bible, and then go back and read it again, and again.
My challenge in the past had been that I never felt the Bible speak to me. Now, there are more and more days where I get stuck on a specific passage and it just speaks volumes into me, often thinking about it hours (even days) later.
And while I may have felt I 'needed' to do my reading every day, I now 'want' to read every day. If I miss a day or two of reading, I can't wait to get up the next day to get back at it.
2/ Prayer
Our church recently finished a series about Prayer based on the book 'The Circle Maker' (an excellent book btw). As part of the series, our small group committed to praying for 30 days straight. We had a set list of 'Mountain-like' prayers that we had each shared and we prayed each and every day over those individual prayer requests.
The challenge was interesting in a number of ways. First, it was a challenge to identify our audacious prayer requests. We had to trust that God wants to honor our wishes, even the big ones and not simply throw up the prayer requests that don't necessarily impact us - such as Aunt Lilly's infected toe. We can trust Him with everything, but are we really doing that?
The second interesting discovery was persistence. 30 days may not seem like a long time but it is when you are used to coming up with excuses NOT to pray. And we learned that we needed to keep going back to God with our desires.
The third and most important discovery was relational. Saying the same thing every day just isn't my style. My prayers became more of a conversation. And when I couldn't pray in bed with my wife before going to bed, I might pray in the car on the way home - out loud!
Prayer is our communication vehicle with Jesus. He knows our needs but wants us to ask Him for them. If you are a parent, you know that is exactly what we do with our kids.
After the 30 day challenge, I've been nowhere near as vigilant in my prayer life but I still enjoy praying and do so in a conversational manner. And I still need work in this area! The other day I asked a friend about how I should proceed with something, and their reply was 'Have you prayed about it?'. Ouch. Still clay in the potter's hands!
3/ Fellowship
My walk with Jesus was irrevocably changed due to relationships I have with other Christians that I meet on a regular basis who were able to speak truth into my life. It is those relationships that altered the path of self-destruction that I was on.
I meet with 3 different small groups in the space of a week. Each has a different purpose but each helps me stay on a Christ-like desire versus a personal desire. And if I stray from the path too much, my friends have full permission to keep me accountable.
I also have other close friends that I meet with on a less frequent basis but equally important to helping me continue to stay focused on our true objective.
So many people (especially men), try to walk the path themselves thinking they can do it themselves. I know. I was on that path. But when the stumble happens, as the serpent is always trying to do, the relationships are there to keep us held up in Truth and Light.
I meet with 3 different small groups in the space of a week. Each has a different purpose but each helps me stay on a Christ-like desire versus a personal desire. And if I stray from the path too much, my friends have full permission to keep me accountable.
I also have other close friends that I meet with on a less frequent basis but equally important to helping me continue to stay focused on our true objective.
So many people (especially men), try to walk the path themselves thinking they can do it themselves. I know. I was on that path. But when the stumble happens, as the serpent is always trying to do, the relationships are there to keep us held up in Truth and Light.
We all want God to speak to us. Some want it as proof of existence. Some are looking for answers. Some are looking for the relationship. The truth is, He is all around us giving us examples to learn by and live by. My brother-in-law pointed out, as my nephew is learning to know and love his uncle, we are learning to know and love God through that same example. A child-like attraction.
What do you do keep your relationship with Jesus fresh and alive?
__________________________________________________
Thank you for taking the time to read one of the many Wandering Thoughts that God has been putting on my heart. If this has touched you in anyway, I would love to hear from you. You can leave a comment below and share your own personal revelations; or send me a personal message on Google+ or Facebook.
If you enjoyed this, please sign up here for email updates to never miss another Wandering Thought.
Have a wonderful day.
What do you do keep your relationship with Jesus fresh and alive?
__________________________________________________
Thank you for taking the time to read one of the many Wandering Thoughts that God has been putting on my heart. If this has touched you in anyway, I would love to hear from you. You can leave a comment below and share your own personal revelations; or send me a personal message on Google+ or Facebook.
If you enjoyed this, please sign up here for email updates to never miss another Wandering Thought.
Have a wonderful day.
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