RELATIONSHIP IS NOT ENGAGEMENT(2)

Engagement invokes emotional involvement but in relationship, one relates; flaws and failures maybe known but overcome by love. In relationship, one is real and love is not one sided. You cannot leave God behind and expect Him to lead you in the right direction. During His days, Jesus always point people to His Father, you cannot but like to know who His Father is; you could see this in Him. At some point, He said, I am in the father, the father is in Him. Other times when He prayed, He would say, Father, I thank You because you always heard me. At the grave of Lazarus He explained why He always point to the Father so that the people around might believe (John 11:41, 42). When His disciples came to Him for order of prayers, Jesus began by saying, “Our Father, who hath in Heaven, halloweth be thy name…” You can see that there is an intimacy. He hardly did anything without His Father.

Jesus relationship with God during His earthly ministry was not spontaneous; you can see it in Him that He recognized His Father’s Voice and God always heard Him by given answers to all His prayers. Jesus relationship was not occasional as some of us today; it is when many people need God that they go to church, why won’t they fall into the trap of fake prophets. Many prayers are just noise because many people cry to the unknown God like the people of Athens who worshipped the gods they did not know (See Acts 17:23). Whatever you talk more about is your best friend. You cannot neglect God and expect same to embrace you.

If you are committed to a relationship, you call regularly and you wish to hear the voice of your loved ones always. God does not need miracles but it is the same that brings a lot to His presence. Such only engage God occasionally, they just want what God can offer and not who He is, such may go to church and see offering and tithe as a burden. Such a life may bear Christian’s names but Christ does not recognize them. When reading and studying the Bible become burdensome, know that you do not have a relationship with God. When prayers become a thing of the past, you are only engaging God, not in relationship. When your life is not being directed through God’s instructions or via the Word of God, beloved, but you go to church on Sunday, you are only involved. It is high time you change for better.

You may be a leader in your department, consume by activities and sold out to the things of God, without a firm relationship with God, you are on appointment, you are just an occasional Christian. God called David a man after mine own heart because there was a relationship between them both. David would never do anything without asking for ephod even in the midst of calamities and chaos. God would not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah not because Lot was living therein, but because a friend of His is living close by, He must inform him, to the point that Abraham was later interceding for the cities.

When was the last time you hear from God, how can you hear when you do not know what He (God) want. You are only behaving like the Israelites; they want God’s acts but never His ways. You want signs and wonders but do not want to relate with the God of wonders. No one can bribe God; you cannot replace your relationship with activities. Most times in relationship, it is attention that other partner want, not gift. Money is not everything, your partner may want communication and if you do not give to him/her, you may lose such relationship. You may be cut off if you do not invest and understand your relationship. Beloved of God, you need the fellowship of God through His Son and the Holy Spirit and may you come to this knowledge that God desires relationship more than sacrifice. Ask Adam and Eve when next you see them; you will not lose your Garden of Eden (Amen).

Word Affirmation: “Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep." – Deuteronomy 28:4 (Don't just say it, mean it!)

“God desires relationship more than sacrifice."

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