Relationships – 26 November 2008

I remember a talk I heard once at Spring Harvest, where the speaker said “Life is about relationship – primarily with God, but also with other people and with the environment.”  I think this is true, as it echoes Jesus saying the greatest commandment was to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart mind, soul and strength, and love your neighbour as yourself.”

We have an appetite to get to know people well, and build good friendships, yet many of us find this increasingly difficult.  Building friendships is also important, because it is often only as we draw close to people that don’t know the Lord that we have an opportunity to share the Gospel.  I have heard it said that most men over the age of forty don’t have anyone they would call a close friend.   Although not quite forty, I can relate to that comment, as since leaving University I have found it increasingly hard to form close friendships.

I love the way our six year old will wander up to another child that he doesn’t know, just start talking, and make friends very quickly.  It is so straightforward and simple, so where does it go wrong?

I see in the Gospels, many of the issues Jesus spoke about were concerning relationships, issues like lack of love, lack of forgiveness, judgmentalism and busyness.  These are things that are barriers, both in our relating to others and God, which is probably why Jesus addresses them, often in strong terms. I’ll consider some of these further over the next couple of days.

Just as our need of God is essential in our relationship with Him, so we need other people, and others need you.  Thank God today for your friends.  If you need closer friends, bring that before Him too.