THE ESSENCE OF RELATIONSHIP

Today in "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young

Yesterday Bill and I were invited for tea at a friend's house. Their visiting guests made for interesting and lively conversation while catching up on church life in their home town where our hosts had once lived. They reminisced over their common past and observed the many changes that decades of service had brought to the congregations of their church. Sadly they also lamented the transformations that have not taken place in their community from various declines.

"What do you think we need to do to save our church?" 

Most of the comments were about what was wrong and our attempts to help direct their focus on what was right about their community seemed to land in a good place.

"Do you have Jesus in common? Then focus on your love for Him. Serve Him and everything else will fall into place."

On the way home we wondered if we had accomplished any objective that our hosts might have had in our invitation for the afternoon visit. They all seemed eager to hear about our romance and the story of our "honeymoon life" entertained much laughter, perhaps even disbelief, as we professed our continued "wooing" for one another.

Then it occurred to me, that is the answer for the dying church. Even ours or yours. Isn't it as true for Jesus, our Bridegroom, Who is romancing the Church, His Bride? He is continually wooing us, inviting us into a relationship. God initiates, we respond. Even our delay or lack of response is a response. We lose interest, desire and focus. Soon we lack motivation for keeping passion for one another alive. Ritual, habitual, lackadaisical and complacent, superficial and pretentious need not be words to describe your church or home life. A maturing relationship is a mutual responsibility that is sustained and ongoing. It takes two.

Our devotion time this morning was rich with words that spoke our Love language. As is Bill's custom, he always gives me his "take away" from what we have read. Today's word is "WITH." 

"Rest with Me a while. You have journeyed up a steep, rugged path in recent days.....I am with you, watching over you wherever you go." The essence of relationship is contained in the word "with."

So beloved, just as Bill and I refresh our passions for a honeymoon life, God romances the Church by inviting those who believe to a "revival that never ends,” but our times of refreshment and revival won't come without times of repentance.

"He is noticing us." He is singing and dancing over us! He is blessing us even when we don't or won't respond. His caress is the Romance of Heaven with the people of Earth that none can compare. Jesus is ALIVE... and like never before, He longs for relationship and communion with us. 

 You are the essence of relationship. 

All praise, glory and honor to You, Jesus. 

(c) Copyright 2014