“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. (Matthew 23:37 NLT)
So much of the time we see God only in his role of authority and judgement. We know he's very serious about his rules. We've seen and read of his punishments. We know that recognizing his power and authority is the beginning of wisdom. But let us not forget that he WANTS to have a RELATIONSHIP with us.
For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” (Zephaniah 3:17 NLT)
The scripture (Zephaniah) shows God getting happy about our existence. As a singer, the fact that God sings blows my mind. YOU are the reason he sings!!
And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. (James 2:23 NLT)
God desires for you to live in such a way that not only are YOU aware of friendship with God, but people around you label you, "the friend of God."
We cannot deny nor downplay God's perfection & holiness. God does ask us to live a high standard life. But God seeks more than your morality and purity. As a matter of fact, the reason he has made a way for you to repent and access purity at all is not because he's a dictator-tyrant, but rather because his deepest longing is to have a RELATIONSHIP with you.
When you're with another human you do not know very well, therefore you've not entered into that level of relationship where trust is required, you do not reveal your emotions to that person. We all put on our best face for people we don't trust to help or heal us.
I have heard people say about God, "He knows everything anyway. Why tell him?"
The answer is that telling him your heart is you demonstrating a desire for a RELATIONSHIP with God. It's your part of demonstrating that you trust him with the hidden parts of yourself. It's akin to a father who is also an employee to his children. It's awkward sometimes. But that father doesn't want his role of boss to hinder his kids coming to him as their father.
God wants more than repetitive words of requirement. He longs for your tears and laughter to be a part of your conversation with him. He doesn't want merely your "best face," he wants your reality. He wants to tell you what breaks his heart, and he wants to hear what breaks yours. He wants to hear what you're loving and hating, and he wants you to hear his side of things. He longs for a RELATIONSHIP with you.
Today, tell him about stuff you think he wouldn't care about. Talk to him as you would a passenger riding in the car with you. Don't merely give him traditional disciplines. Give him your friendship.
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