Our Calling to Relationship
I have been a part of the church my whole life. Many different churches, in fact.
I was baptised Presbyterian as a baby, avoided Sunday school at a Missionary Alliance church, made lifelong friends at a youth group at an Associated Gospel church, spent my undergrad attending a Mennonite Brethren “mega” church, and then found myself in an Anglican seminary. Whether at an evangelical, conservative, or more liberal church, Christian community consistently faces a common deep block. We don’t know how to be with God.
We are great at talking about God, praising God, and we love to serve God. Some love to debate or argue, protect or promote God. The thing we have little time or patience for is actually spending time with God.
Being in relationships is our primary calling as Christians. Our hearts ache for our children and/or grandchildren to know Jesus – and we want them to be involved in our church community – but how can we share God if we’re too busy to be with God?
We must slow down and live at God’s speed. We have to be patient and take the time to pray, listen to people, and be humble and willing to wait on the Holy Spirit to lead the way.
Our lives are often characterized by busyness and isolation. Jesus’ life is a stark contrast. When Jesus is present, he listens, shares food, spends time, weeps, walks, touches, responds, and cares for others – and the world changes. Jesus enjoys being with people and with his Father. And his ministry was not a pre-planned formula but rose in response to real situations and relationships he encounters along the way.
Ask God today to identify a situation or relationship you are facing and how he wants you to respond – spend some time in silence or with a journal in front of you and see how he responds.