Encouraging Truths Devotional Series (Day #15)
As You Focus on Your Relationship with God More, Your Relationship with Him Will Improve (Gen 12-20)
Jesus spoke of a key principle in your relationship with the Lord that is often overlooked:
The one who has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. And the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father. I also will love him and will reveal Myself to him.” … “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. (John 14:21-23 – emphasis added)
Abide in Me, and I in you … I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me … bears much fruit … apart from Me you can do nothing … If you abide in Me … ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (Jn 15:4-7 – NASB – emphasis added)
The principle is simple – as you put more into the relationship, your relationship with the Lord will improve.
He made it clear that as we walk with God in love and obedience, the Lord will act in our lives (“love” us) (Jn 14:21), reveal Himself to us (Jn 14:21), make His home with us (Jn 14:23), work through us (Jn 15:5), and act on our behalf (Jn 15:7).
As we put more into our relationship with the Lord, He will pour more into us. Abraham’s relationship with the Lord illustrates the point perfectly:
Step 1 – God calls Abraham (Gen 12:1-3)
Step 2 – Abraham obeys and goes (Gen 12:4)
Step 3 – God appears to Abraham (Gen 12:7)
Step 4 – Abraham worships (Gen 12:7-8) – worshipping for the first time
Step 5 – God exerts His power for Abraham (Gen 12:17; Gen 14:8-17, 19-20)
Step 6 – Abraham tithes to the Lord (Gen 14:18-20) – Abraham gives to God
Step 7 – God assures, comforts and encourages Abraham in a TWO WAY conversation (Gen 15:1-20) – God is now meeting emotional needs
Step 8 – God institutes circumcision, reveals more of His plan, and instructions (Gen 17:1-22)
Step 9 – Abraham obeys (Gen 17:23-27) – painful level of obedience
Step 10 – God meets with him in Person! (Gen 18, focus on 17-20)
In the beginning of their relationship Abraham only knew God as the One who ‘called’ him to go (Step 1). But as he nurtured the relationship the Lord drew closer to Him and appeared to him (Step 3), then had two-way conversations with Him (Step 7), and ultimately met with Him face-to-face (Step 10). God had gone from being a complete stranger to Abraham to meeting with him face-to-face in two-way conversations!
In addition to being close and having more intimate conversations, God also began to act more in Abraham’s life. It started with the calling, and then He exerted power for Abraham (Step 5), then He comforted and encouraged him (Step 7), and then God began revealing His plan (Step 8).
As we put more into our relationship with the Lord, He will too and the relationship will grow deeper and stronger.
These principles shouldn’t surprise you. They are the same principles in life used in a couple as they go from their first date to their 50th anniversary. Think about that for a minute. A young couple starts out dating by being nice to one another, talking, and sharing. As they get along more, they start to reveal more about themselves to each other, do things together, and go out of their way for one another. Eventually they become so close and know each other so well that they decide to get married. BUT, if one of them didn’t INVEST in the relationship during their courting, the relationship would have stalled and eventually died.
So, HOW do you put more into your relationship with the Lord? You do it using the same principles as you would with a human – spending lots of time together (pray, read the Bible, think about Him), honor their wishes (obey), apologize when you’re wrong and try not to mess up again (confess and repent), maintain undivided attention (monogamous and loving with all you have), help and do nice things for (serve), treat them as special (honor), and keep track of your relationship.
If you don’t feel close to God or feel like the growth of your relationship with Him has stalled, take a look in the mirror and see how much you’re giving to the relationship. WE play a VERY large part in how CLOSE we are to Him and Him to us. The more you put in the relationship, the result is the closer you get to God.
Think about it…
Are you as close to the Lord as you want to be?
Do you see your relationship growing stronger and deeper? Has it stalled?
Do you see the Lord active in your life (teaching, convicting, guiding, answering prayers … etc)?
How can you put more into your relationship with the Lord?
Be on the lookout tomorrow for the next Encouraging Truth from this devotional series.