Your everyday life with Jesus matters
A sentence that I think is rather watered down within the Christian context is “Christianity is not a religion but a relationship” and “You are a Christian everyday, not once a week”. I think a lot of people are wondering how they can apply that to reality and how to make those words more than a cliché. Regardless of how it sounds, it really is something that I believe to be true, something that is a reality for every human being regardless of origin. That the relationship with Jesus is available and should be nourished daily.
All of one’s good friendships and relationships are based on mutual interest. The second the commitment becomes one-sided, the relationship begins to falter. A relationship between two people is like a bridge between two anchor points. If the anchorage of the bridge disappears on one side, the bridge will not support and it will be completely useless. The same applies to a relationship that is only managed in one direction.
We have the opportunity to have a relationship with Jesus because of his death on the cross. The anchor point of the bridge on Jesus´ side is completely fixed and does not budge for anything. Jesus will be steadfast until the day we take our last breath. But the question is: are we there in return? The answer is sometimes no. Sometimes yes too, but what separates our hearts from the heart of Jesus is our inconsitency. God stands as a good friend and wants to be there through everything. He stays regardless of the circumstances. Why would we not cherish the relationship of a friend who, despite our betrayals and selfish choices, remains to strengthen and love us through it all? How can I as a Christian ask for God’s greatest when I am not even willing to give him my least?
The relationship with Jesus is a fresh product that, if committed with a limp, will slip away like any other relationship, and in Psalm 37:4 we read: “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Let the desires of our hearts be shaped by the fact that we have our joy in the Lord and that we may have a bridge between us and the Father - the Holy Spirit. When we fix our eyes on that favor instead of trying to meet our desires in this world, a joy will begin to emerge and the desires of our hearts will be met, that is a promise from God. To nurture our relationship with God, there are various things you can do, but some things that are crucial for all Christians are the following two:
• Read the Bible. To know what God has to say, we must know what God has already said. Through Bible reading, the Holy Spirit wants to reveal truth into our lives.
• Consistent prayer. I don’t always get answers when I pray, but one thing I know: the more I pray, the more answers I get. God hears prayer and will answer our prayers if they have been said with pure motives. Paul says “Pray constantly.”
Reading the Bible is daily bread. We need to be guided and shaped by the word. Prayer will always result in something. If our circumstances remain, at least our mind changes and we humble ourselves before God. Lack of prayer is to express independence and the truth is that we are created to live united with God. We need each other and we need God. It’s about relationships and your most important relationship is the one you have with Jesus. He looks bright to the future with us and the only brake for his plan is our delayed “yes.”
Timotheos Häggblad
Coach