1 John 4: 9 - 11 NKJV
There is one word the carnal single man will always fear. That word is...relationship. If he has relationship, he is no longer free to do as he wishes. If he has relationships, he will be forced into allowing someone other than himself into his life. Hollywood and television have somehow glorified the world of the aloof batchelor living his life without a care in the world. One of the most telling of these programs was the sitcom Two and a Half Men starring Charlie Sheen. Somehow, I always took a interest in watching bits and pieces of this show. It wasn't because I had adopted the main characters drunken, womanizing life style, far from it. No, the reason that I took an interest in this program was because through it I got to see how the other half lived. Granted, there are many in hollywood who agree that the life of Charlie Sheen mirrored that of his main character to a T. From chasing women to the all too common drunken stupors, this was the life of the carnal single man. I say carnal single man because it is christian men who are different, or are we? Do we, as christian men, fear relationships as many others do? I mean, we were meant to carpe diem in a sense weren't we? Wasn't it Gods plan that man was to go out into a sinful world, be master over it and do his own thing? Well, if you listen to most people you might get that impression. However, as I learned far along in my own christian life, I was created by my heavenly Father for relationship. That's right, God did not want us to walk through our lives alone. We are called into relationship with our spouse {Genesis 2:18}. His desire is for relationship with those around us {1 John 4:11}. Ultimately, it is the Lords desire that we be in relationship with Him {John 17:24}. Of course, I didn't recognize this as part of the christian life for some time. Well, I wouldn't say that I was against relationships, they were just too hard to maintain. See, in a relationship we need to take others into consideration as well as ourselves. How many people out there are down for all that this entails? Isn't it easier just to live for ourselves without the cares and worries of others? Maybe, but this isn't in our original settings as they say. In other words, it isn't what God desires for His children.
21“that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22“And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23“I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 24“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
John 17: 21 - 24 NKJV
Despite all of the scriptures that witness to the fact that God desires His children to live a life of relationships, it is we ourselves who all too often shudder at the very thought of sharing our life with another. We sing a pretty good tune in church on sundays about "living" a life for God, but when the rubber meets the road of relationship we come up short. Jesus Himself knew this as well. Jesus lived His own life of relationship with those around Him. Jesus waked each day in relationship with His disciples. It is Christ who prayed to the Father on the eve of His own crucifiction that we and the Father would be one {John 17:21}. One of the biggest things that kills relationships is our own fear of giving up control of our lives. Think back to our friend Charlie, who lived in fear of relationships because it would mean the end of his woman chasing, drunken lifestyle he had chosen for himself. I was the same way. I was just fine living life with only myself to worry about. However, once someone mentioned relationship, right away I cringed at the thought of giving up something I cared so much about...myself. This is where so many people are self centered on the idea that we are independent of those around us. Well, this isn't how God created us, nor is it how we should approach our life today. In the garden, before the fall, we shared a intimate relationship with our creator. Think about that, a life lived in the Father each and every day. This isn't only a good sunday sermon topic, but the truth of our life in Christ Jesus. We're told that it is Christ who lives in union through us today {Galations 2:20}. The relationship we once shared with the Father in the garden has been restored once again. If you're at all worried that you might have to give up something more than you're willing to in your relationship with Jesus, think of all which Christ Jesus has given up for you. I can talk to people every day and yet never experience that relationship. Likewise, we can read all about Jesus and yet never be in relationship with Him. We were created for something greater.
7“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”8Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”9Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
John 14: 7 - 9 NKJV
~Scott~
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