“Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son.” (2 John 9 NLT)
Some people have never experienced a truly inspired and Spirit led relationship with God or even with another human being. I was blessed to have a family that I knew loved me growing up. It was easy for me to turn to Jesus because I’d had a taste of what family was supposed to be.
Many believe sex is the answer to intimacy. Perhaps physically, when you’re wholly committed to your partner in marriage, but not true “koinonia.” Intimacy with God and others creates in our hearts a desire to serve others and be more for them than they can be for themselves, not only physically, but emotionally, relationally, and spiritually.
The relationship between two people who both love Jesus and are seeking to invest their lives in His Kingdom are what I think of as “lay down your life for one another” friends. The kind of love Jesus demonstrated when He laid down His life on the Cross for all who would believe, repent, and follow Him without reservation. The kind of love my wife demonstrates in the care she extends to others in need.
Relationship – real, true, vibrant, the kind of life you want to share and daily celebrate – can only be found in a personal relationship with Jesus. He is the Way to God, the Truth about what works, and the Life that every person needs and ultimately desires.
It’s far too easy to lose your way seeking things that have no lasting satisfaction and no eternal value. In Matthew 16 Jesus asked a very pertinent question when He asked: “What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?”
It’s a rhetorical question. The answer is clearly NO!
Jesus’ alternative to losing your soul is found in the verses just preceding the one above. “Then, calling the crowd to join His disciples, He said, ‘If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow Me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.’”
For many years I thought I understood what that meant, but only in recent months have I begun to grasp, at least in part, what beauty and majesty reside in close communion with Jesus. Life in Him, with Him, and for Him, is life worth living. Sensing His closeness, allowing Him to dictate direction, without concern for provision, is like heaven on earth.
All I want in this season of my life is to have all He wants for me. To bask in the glory of His Holy presence, to know the security of His Spirit’s embrace, and to never fear what the future holds, because I know who holds my future.
Regardless of who you are, where you are, not only geographically, but spiritually, emotionally, financially, relationally, physically – none of those things matter. The only thing that’s pertinent is your willingness to turn from your selfish ways and entrust your life and your future to the capable hands of almighty God by placing your faith in Jesus and trusting Him.
Please watch the brief video by clicking the link below. Learn how you can begin again by having a relationship with the Lord who loves you more than you can possibly imagine. https://hutchcraft.com/the-bridge-to-god
Blessings, Ed
Walking With Jesus 