Resources/Articles
Keeping Your Faith Alive (46)
Intimate relationships depend upon sharing. When it comes to God and man, how can a spiritual being share with a fleshly being? God resolved that dilemma for mankind when Christ came to the world as a man and experienced living in the flesh. Though perfect, Jesus became our high priest (Hebrews 4:14-16). As our high priest, we go through Him as one having experienced life on earth, and He reaches the throne of heaven for us (1 Timothy 2:5). This means of sharing our desires and feelings with God is so important to our spiritual maturity. It also removes the feeling some have that God does not understand what we are going through on earth or that he is distant in heaven.
As sharing becomes a key part of intimate relationships, we need to remove the idea of a relationship with God as a one-way street. Man has something to share with God in the form of helplessness, trials, hopelessness, and pain. God has something to share with us as well.
God has very intense senses about what happens to mankind. He has sorrow over those who reject His love. He has compassion for those who are hurting. He has joy with those who turn from their self-destructive ways. God has all those senses written out for us to see and understand how He feels.
In the parable of the lost sheep which was found, Luke 15:7 says, “I say unto you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth...” John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son...” in Matthew 5:44-45, it says, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” Ephesians 4:30 says, “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God...let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you.” Romans 10:13-15 expresses God’s interest in saving man, and He is looking for man to His hands, feet, and voice and take the glad tidings of good things to those who are lost.
God shares with us these senses hoping to establish faith in our relationship with Him. He prays we share the same senses He does. Desire what He desires. Despite what He despises. Love what He loves. You get the idea. If we do, great is our relationship. Great is our faith.
