We all long for a deep and intimate relationship with God, just as God longs for a continuing relationship with us, that is real and personal.  But we, before we have this relationship, often want to know exactly where we stand with God, before we start.  Much like any young girl would want to know where she stands with a boy, before she enters into a relationship with Him.  I think this is understandable, in a world full of hurt, one is not keen to open your heart too soon.  So where do we stand with God?

Scripture is clear: Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. (James 4:8) God has already taken the initiative and done all that is necessary to make this relationship happen: “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) So, what do we need to know about His love, where do we stand?

  1. God will never give up on us, He says:“I will never[under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!” (Heb 13:5b Amp)

Take His word for it.  He is there for us every minute of every day for the rest of our lives.  When a man pursues a woman and she clearly isn’t interested in him, he eventually focuses his attention elsewhere.  God is not like man, we remain the focus of His love, both in this life and for all eternity.

No matter how much we ignore Him, He is still keen to have a deep and meaningful relationship with us.

  1. We have got God’s attention, we don’t have to find ways of getting it. He is focused on us in love, waiting for us to draw near to Him. He does not change; therefore, He is still waiting for us. Malachi 3:6 “For I the Lord do not change…”

To get His attention, we may pray other people’s prayers, convinced that God loves some of us more than others and that if we use the prayers ‘His favorites’ prayed, He’ll pay more attention to us. (Let’s just remember here, God doesn’t have favorites.)  Others try to buy His attention by sending money to charities or dropping extra bills in the Sunday offering plate. Still others try the repentance route, going to church out of guilt and confess our sins.

We may routinely injure our bodies to convince God, just how serious we are about wanting to please Him. We try fasting, prayer retreats, and long vigils in some dark closet. We figure if God sees us sacrificing our time and comfort on His behalf, He’ll reward us with some special appearance. Some of us try to hear His Voice speaking through the Bible, while others of us exhaust our adrenal glands at worship concerts trying to manufacture the sense that He is near. If God seems to stay silent for too long, some of us get desperate enough to send Him an ultimatum.

The reality is that there is absolutely nothing we can do to make God pay more attention to us than He already does, He is already 100% focused on us.  We just have to believe Him at His word. 

  1. God does not behave like man. Perfect, unchanging God, does not behave like imperfect, changeable, sinful man.  Yet we constantly compare God to man, and ascribe, or assume, that God will behave like mankind, or deserves to be treated as if He behaves life mankind.  A few examples:

  • When someone hurts us, we assume that God will treat us the same way. Scripture is clear that in all things God works for our good (Rom 8:28).
  • We are let down by someone that we relied on, so we translate it into not being able to rely on God.
  • When we get cross with people, it is easier to get cross with God, not wanting to spend time with Him.
  • We make the mistake of thinking we are not good enough for God’s love, when Jesus death on the cross covered our sins, making us good enough to be loved by God.
  • We believe God has favorites, so it creates a lack of faith in us. We believe that God isn’t really listening to us, so why bother praying.

In every instance above,  like mankind.His Word is clear about who He is, take Him at His Word.

It is a sad mistake we make, when we equate God’s love to the love of people.

“So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us! —is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one. None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.” (Rom 8:31-39 MSG)

If God, as the lover of our souls, stands before us now, offering His love with that qualification list, would you consider it?  Would you draw near, so that He can draw near and start a relationship that will blow your mind.

Thank You Lord for your love and that You desire to have a relationship with me.  Each day is a new day in the experience of Your love, it never changes and is always focused on me.  You are always, always with me. Thank you that I can speak to You at all times, confident in the fact that I have your attention.  Thank you that You don’t change and that You don’t behave like the people around me.  Forgive me for the times in our relationship that I have treated You, like the people around me, have treated me.  Or even assumed things about You based on how people treat me.  Help me to remember that Your love is perfect, unchangeable and constantly focused on me.

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

God Loves Others More Than Me

God is Not With Me

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