Peace comes when we are assured and confident of our standing in a relationship. The core relationships are in our sphere of work, at home with family, with our spouse and with our closest friends. If in any of these relationships we are not in a position of correct value, our confidence and therefore our work, words and demeanor are adversely impacted. That has a compounding effect back on our confidence in a cyclical manner. At the core, if in one or more of these areas we are not valued as we ought to be, our confidence and therefore our output and our joy are impacted in the proportion of our standing in that relationship.
There is however, the most important relationship that we ignore or disbelieve or don't invest in, which is above all other relationships. That one relationship has the ability to set right everything that is off balance in every other relation and equation of our lives. That one relationship is our relationship with our creator - the being, the power and the spirit who loves us. But, we don't really believe that. We approach the subject of God through feelings that range from doubt, skepticism, disbelief or a sense of religious duty or a place of fear or a place of guilt or a place of habit. None of these feelings towards our Creator are right because none of these feelings foster a good relationship.
God, as a being, is outside the physics and dimensions we understand. God has introduced himself as father figure because it is a relationship that we do understand. He has also introduced himself as self- existent, a being that always was, is and will be. A being who is constant and does not change. God says he knows everything including what is inside each human heart and mind and human motives. God says he is always available and present everywhere and there is nothing that he cannot do. In terms humans can understand, God says about himself that He is in love with each one of us like a parent loves his or her own child. God says he is jealous of our relationship with him as a husband would jealously guard the relationship with his wife. The wife only belongs to the husband and the husband only belongs to the wife. In the same spirit God is jealous for our love and attention to him instead of attention to counterfeits. He has also told about Himself that he is like a coach who relentlessly pushes the mentee to get better. Who never turns his back when the mentee fails and furthermore does not give up even when the mentee gives up upon himself. He says He is like a gardener who prunes the ill growing, defective and useless branches to spur the plant to grow more and be fruitful. That He is patient like a gardener, sending water and food for the plant to grow, uprooting weeds and parasites even when it hurts the plant. The disciplinarian in the manner of a parent. A friend to whom we can pour out our hearts without reservation, hesitation or fear of being honest. In terms humans understand, then, God is parent, partner, coach, gardener, provider and confidante. He loves us so much that he lays down his life for us. Greater love hath no man than this that he lay down his life for his friends.
So then, coming back to peace. If we are not in the right standing of our relationship with our Creator it means that we do not truly know Him as all of the above descriptions. That when we continue to approach Him with duty, fear, guilt or habit only, then we will never understand the richness of that relationship and miss out on the amazing love, joy, humor resulting in lasting, deep and real peace.
Jesus says, let me carry your burden because I love you and I know you have a lot of heavy things in the burlap bag you carry on your shoulders and back all the time. I am here offering to exchange that burlap bag of yours for my love and my sacrifice on your behalf. Will you trade?
In turn, we turn around to him and say: “it is too good to be true” or “it can't be that simple ( somehow we think that spirituality has to be complex forgetting that it is actually genius to simplify) or “what arrogance to claim that!” or “I have to carry my own burden” or “I am the master of my own soul” or “I am the captain of my own destiny” or “how can you say you are the only way? There are many ways and I will find my own” and thus in disbelief or pride of self or pride of knowledge or pride of tradition or pride of our own ability; we reject the God of love and his extended hand. We turn around and continue to trudge unknown paths and mountains with the burlap bag of our burdens on our backs; ever miserable or blissfully ignorant.
And so back to the point on peace. Since I set the record straight with Jesus, He has done all He said He would do and be. And most of all this beautiful lasting peace beyond human understanding and a tremendous joy of his coaching, friendship leadership and the assurance of his faithfulness to me. This one relationship compensates for everything lacking in every other sphere of life and I am able to be my best at everything else and to everyone else to my utmost possible.
Here's to you, God my Creator, Father, Savior, King, Boss, Coach, Mentor and Friend! I am so fond of You :) Help me to love you as I ought so that we may delight in each other and let me always be fully in awe of You.
There is however, the most important relationship that we ignore or disbelieve or don't invest in, which is above all other relationships. That one relationship has the ability to set right everything that is off balance in every other relation and equation of our lives. That one relationship is our relationship with our creator - the being, the power and the spirit who loves us. But, we don't really believe that. We approach the subject of God through feelings that range from doubt, skepticism, disbelief or a sense of religious duty or a place of fear or a place of guilt or a place of habit. None of these feelings towards our Creator are right because none of these feelings foster a good relationship.
God, as a being, is outside the physics and dimensions we understand. God has introduced himself as father figure because it is a relationship that we do understand. He has also introduced himself as self- existent, a being that always was, is and will be. A being who is constant and does not change. God says he knows everything including what is inside each human heart and mind and human motives. God says he is always available and present everywhere and there is nothing that he cannot do. In terms humans can understand, God says about himself that He is in love with each one of us like a parent loves his or her own child. God says he is jealous of our relationship with him as a husband would jealously guard the relationship with his wife. The wife only belongs to the husband and the husband only belongs to the wife. In the same spirit God is jealous for our love and attention to him instead of attention to counterfeits. He has also told about Himself that he is like a coach who relentlessly pushes the mentee to get better. Who never turns his back when the mentee fails and furthermore does not give up even when the mentee gives up upon himself. He says He is like a gardener who prunes the ill growing, defective and useless branches to spur the plant to grow more and be fruitful. That He is patient like a gardener, sending water and food for the plant to grow, uprooting weeds and parasites even when it hurts the plant. The disciplinarian in the manner of a parent. A friend to whom we can pour out our hearts without reservation, hesitation or fear of being honest. In terms humans understand, then, God is parent, partner, coach, gardener, provider and confidante. He loves us so much that he lays down his life for us. Greater love hath no man than this that he lay down his life for his friends.
So then, coming back to peace. If we are not in the right standing of our relationship with our Creator it means that we do not truly know Him as all of the above descriptions. That when we continue to approach Him with duty, fear, guilt or habit only, then we will never understand the richness of that relationship and miss out on the amazing love, joy, humor resulting in lasting, deep and real peace.
Jesus says, let me carry your burden because I love you and I know you have a lot of heavy things in the burlap bag you carry on your shoulders and back all the time. I am here offering to exchange that burlap bag of yours for my love and my sacrifice on your behalf. Will you trade?
In turn, we turn around to him and say: “it is too good to be true” or “it can't be that simple ( somehow we think that spirituality has to be complex forgetting that it is actually genius to simplify) or “what arrogance to claim that!” or “I have to carry my own burden” or “I am the master of my own soul” or “I am the captain of my own destiny” or “how can you say you are the only way? There are many ways and I will find my own” and thus in disbelief or pride of self or pride of knowledge or pride of tradition or pride of our own ability; we reject the God of love and his extended hand. We turn around and continue to trudge unknown paths and mountains with the burlap bag of our burdens on our backs; ever miserable or blissfully ignorant.
And so back to the point on peace. Since I set the record straight with Jesus, He has done all He said He would do and be. And most of all this beautiful lasting peace beyond human understanding and a tremendous joy of his coaching, friendship leadership and the assurance of his faithfulness to me. This one relationship compensates for everything lacking in every other sphere of life and I am able to be my best at everything else and to everyone else to my utmost possible.
Here's to you, God my Creator, Father, Savior, King, Boss, Coach, Mentor and Friend! I am so fond of You :) Help me to love you as I ought so that we may delight in each other and let me always be fully in awe of You.
Jesus said: “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:27-30
Jesus said … “.. he that has seen me hath seen the Father ..” John 14:9
Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whosoever believes in Him would not perish but would have everlasting life” John 3:16
How wonderfully put and how true are the words captured in this blog ! I felt like the essence of what every human soul is looking for, which is peace is so well described. I pray Lord Jesus that you would use this writing that is so rich for your glory. I desire that it can get into the hands of many who are searching.
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