“What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our griefs and sins to bear,
What a privilege to carry,
Everything to God in prayer.
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry,
Everything to God in prayer…”
Those words are the first two stanzas of the hymn “What a Friend We Have In Jesus,” a poem written in 1855 by Joseph Scriven and set to music in 1868 by composer Charles Converse.
In a previous share we talked about having the assurance of being covered by God through the gift of salvation. Now what next after salvation? How do we grow our relationship with Him?
What does it even mean to be in communion or relationship with Him?
“So that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.” Acts 17:27
God gave us His only begotten Son so that we would not perish due to our sin nature but have everlasting life in accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior. In His incredible act of putting the path before us to allow us to be reconciled back to Him, He asks only that we learn of Him, His ways, His commandments, His Love for us as His children, His creation.
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” John 1:12
So how do we begin to build a relationship with our Father in Heaven?
Think about it…how did you build a relationship with your husband, your wife, your significant other, your parents, your children, your best friend? By investing time in them. Talking to them for hours on end on the phone or in-person. Writing love letters, poems, singing to them, playing love songs on the guitar just for them, or sitting silently together holding hands, gazing lovingly into their eyes letting your souls/spirits meld into one flesh joined even in silence.
Oh yes, when we’re “in love” with someone time stands still. We can’t bear to be without them. We fawn over them. We tell them all our secrets, our wants, our desires. We daydream constantly about being with them, seeing them again, sharing the most minute and insignificant details of our day with them and they listen intently and do the same. Why? Because you are in a relationship with them and you love and desire them.
Oh but to channel even 1/10th of that emotion, that desire, that ‘love’ back to the One who created you. The One who saved you from the wages of your sins. Are you willing to make an eternal investment into the One who knows and loves you best, your Creator??
“In this is Love, not that we Loved God, but that He Loved us.” 1 John 4:10
Building a personal relationship with God requires so little from us, but the gains are immeasurable. Here are a few of the benefits of being in a relationship with God:
(1) He will never leave nor forsake you; Hebrews 13:5
(2) He always answers your calls and hears your every word; Psalm 34:17
(3) He has already paid off your debts; John 3:16
(4) He understands your mood swings and Loves you still; 1 Corinthians 13
(5) He won’t let you pay for your bill; John 3:16
(6) He takes joy in your words; Proverbs 16:24
(7) He comforts you in times of distress; Matthew 11:28-30
(8) He heals and mends your wounded heart/spirit; Psalm 147:3
(9) He opens doors no man can close and closes doors no one can open; Revelation 3:8
(10) He is always on time; Ecclesiastes 3:11
(11) He favors your inner beauty to your outer beauty; Psalm 139:13-16
(12) He will send His angels to protect you; Psalm 91:11-12
(13) He will give you beauty for ashes; Isaiah 61:3
(14) He is your protector; Psalm 23
(15) He will keep your mind at peace and let you sleep stress-free; Psalm 4:8
(16) He will deal with your enemies and condemn the tongues of those who speak against you; Isaiah 54:17
(17) He loves you just the way you are; Romans 5:8
(18) He will always think the best of you, hope for you, trust and encourage you; 1 Corinthians 13:7
(19) He emboldens you to achieve; 2 Timothy 1:7
(20) He Loves you unconditionally; Ephesians 3:15-19
Who would turn their face from The One who offers so much to you, compared to our little? He is The One who has stored up in Heaven treasures for us beyond measure. A perfect Love. His perfect peace. Unspeakable joy and happiness!
Get to know Him.
Talk with Him. Start with just a few minutes each day and watch that time grow and grow into the most fulfilling relationship of your existence.
Have a little talk with Jesus, tell Him all about your struggles, He knows them all, God sees them all, He will hear our faintest cry and He will answer in His time. Ecclesiastes 3:11
Just a little talk with God makes it right.
He calmly waits, knocking gently for you to open the door to your heart, your being. Revelation 3:20
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