How many different plans would you say you have going at the same time right now? You’ve probably got a bit of a career plan, a financial plan, maybe some vacation plans. You might have plans to hang out with your friends this weekend or maybe you’re lining up date night plans with your spouse or significant other. Needless to say… you’ve probably got a lot of plans.
But I’m curious to know whether or not you would say you have any “relational” plans? Now if you’ve ever been a youth leader, or if you’re married or engaged, or if you’re the parent of a pre-teen, you’ll know exactly what I mean. A “relational” plan is a strategy to take a relationship from point A to point B. Maybe you want to move from being acquaintances to having a meaningful, vulnerable friendship with someone. Well, there are certain plans you can make to see that happen: maybe hang out once a week, or plan a road trip (nothing brings people together like a road trip).
Sometimes developing a relationship with someone feels effortless, but often it takes a good chunk of work. When I look at some of my closest friendships, there are only a few that just clicked. Most of them took years of intentionally hanging out and having deep conversations before we got to where we are right now. I certainly could have given up just because it wasn’t “working” right away, but I’m glad I didn’t.
Here’s what I want to ask you: do you have any “relational” plans with the Lord?
You’ll probably know the verse John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” But let me point you to something Jesus says fourteen chapters later in John 17:3, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” When we think of eternal life we generally think of living forever in heaven, but Jesus gives us a far more wonderfully profound definition: to know God the Father, and Jesus whom He sent.
What you’ve been invited into, and what you’ve taken hold of by faith in Jesus Christ, is a living relationship with God Almighty.
So let me return to my question: do you have any “relational” plans with the Lord? Do you have any desire to move your relationship with Him from point A to point B? What even is point B?
For some reason, we generally think of our friendship with God as one of those friendships that will just click. Like it’s going to be so natural to want to spend time together and engage in deep, meaningful, vulnerable conversation. But usually the most difficult relationships to build are the ones with people who are incredibly different from you… I can’t think of two people more different from one another than the Lord my God and myself. It would be silly to think that it won’t take work to walk closer with Him.
So let me urge you to think about your relationship with the Lord. Make plans to be with Him more often, try to learn things about Him that you never knew by seeking Him in His Word, invite Him to lead you by His Spirit, ask Him to point out any remaining sin that clings to you. It’s going to take time, it’s going to take effort, but it will certainly be worth it.
You can enjoy eternal life right now because eternal life doesn’t start when you die, it started when you were reconciled to God.
Joshua Scott
Central Abbotsford Campus Pastor