How Is My Relationship With God Today?
BRD REFLECTIONS:
(Christopher Tham, SGM Leader)
READ:
God spoke to me through 1 John 4 (NIV). Here are some verses that resonated with me:
v6 – “We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognise the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.’”
v19-21 – ”We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”
OBSERVE:
How many of us consider that we’re godly or have a good relationship with God or know God by:
⁃ going to church regularly (physically or online)
⁃ going on mission trips
⁃ attending Bible studies
⁃ attending prayer meetings
⁃ serving in church?
I believe that these are crucial in my walk with God. But I also believe that my walk with Him is a personal journey and that quiet time and studying the Bible are vital to know God intimately.
APPLY:
My faith journey has not been smooth sailing. God began His work of transforming my relationship with Him when I was serving in Prayer & Praise many years back. I was at an all-time emotional high and thought that my relationship with God was excellent. In fact, that was a lie and I did not really know God. I discovered that I was proud, chasing after recognition. But God continued to seek me out. He valued me and did not give up on me. It took an eight-year journey of brokenness, repentance and inner healing before I saw transformation in my life. God was always gentle, gracious and merciful in that process. As I looked back at my life, I realised that it was not about how well I served Him, or how recognised I was in the church community but rather about having an intimate love relationship with Abba Father. That was when I began to know God better, to feel His heartbeat, to be more in sync with His Holy Spirit. I was able to understand and accept His love for me and to better see things from His perspective.
DO:
I will ask the following questions to realign myself with God:
⁃ How is my walk with God?
⁃ Do I have an intimate relationship with Him? Or do I just know about Him intellectually and busy myself with church-related activities?
⁃ Do I know the heartbeat of God? Can I feel what pains Him?
⁃ What spiritual fruit am I bearing?
⁃ Am I listening to God’s voice or my own?
⁃ Do I seek the Holy Spirit’s voice daily?
I will draw closer to God by taking time to be silent before Him. I will ask Jesus to silence my thoughts, distractions and doubts and invite the Holy Spirit to speak to me. I will thank Him for what He reveals to me and for my journey into an intimate relationship with Him.
PRAY:
Abba Father, I pray that I will be honest in my reflections. Even though I have so many shortcomings, Lord, You still love me so dearly. Abba Father, never let my heart grow cold. Draw me closer and let me experience You in a transforming and convincing way that spurs me to walk and grow deeper in my intimacy with You. Abba Father, clarify any doubts or wrong perceptions I have about You and reveal Your convincing truth to me so that I come to You in honest repentance. Abba Father, let me love my brothers and sisters because You first loved me. Abba Father, deepen my relationship with You so that Your heartbeat beats in my heart and I feel what You feel. In Jesus’ loving name I pray. Amen.
