Relational Spirituality

The ultimate good in life is to treat things according to their true value. - Jonathan Edwards

helping_hair_500Thankfully, perhaps the most brilliant facet of God’s love is patience. It is a light that shines through my darkest doubts and blackest, most cynical disbeliefs. He waits for me, his Spirit encourages me, shepherding circumstances that reveal God’s interest in a relationship with me. Once I open myself to his love I become an agent of the most powerful catalyst in the universe.

Most of my personal, intimate relationships are on a fairly equal footing. Engaging in a relationship with God, I soon discover that the proportions are distorted beyond my mental, physical, or spiritual grasp. God’s love defies reason. For example, he offers up a love in the first moment of our relationship that is as expansive as the Milky Way. And each day I can receive a galaxy of love from God.

Here is the thing about a relationship with God—it is more than I bargain for. It is unfathomable. It is unshakeable. In the presence of His complete and perfect love I am humbled by who I am. As I struggle with all that Christ’s life, death, and resurrection mean, I find a deeper affection and a stronger connection in obedience to Him. I move from hungering for more to giving it all away. God’s love is the means that empowers me to see who God is and who I am.

I learn that God’s love is actively engaging me--in every aspect of my life that I share with him. I discover that His love is generous, comforting, and always open to show me the way through any and all experiences. The more I invest of who I am and what I think and do and say in the relationship, the more I know His love. I begin to comprehend the depth of his love in giving his son for you and me. I discover that I experience and know his love for me far deeper and greater the more I share his love with others. As I discover the true value of a relationship with God, I learn to invest all that I am in Him.

Reflections to Consider

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Relational Publications

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Relational Audio & Video

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Publications

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Relational Music

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Music

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Relational Reflection

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Audio & Video

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Favorites

  • Eat This Book, Eugene Peterson +

    Eugene Peterson’s book, Eat This Book gets its name from Revelation 10:9-10 when John asks for the scroll containing God’s Read More
  • Martin Luther’s Quiet Time, Walter Trobisch +

    Martin Luther had a barber named Peter Beskendorf who asked his world-famous customer and doctor of theology, "Dr. Luther, how Read More
  • Storytelling +

    Eugene Peterson discusses his influences as a writer, as well as how and why he created the Message translation. This Read More
  • Life as an Alien +

    Timothy Keller, the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC, provides an inspiring portrayal of what the church is supposed Read More
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Hidden Blessings

  • Separated Unto the Holy Ghost (Andrew Murray) +

    Below is chapter 3 from the book, Absolute Surrender by Andrew Murray, a South African "Now there were in the Read More
  • The Human Body and Spiritual Growth: Dallas Willard +

    In Christian Educator's Handbook on Spiritual Formation, edited by James Wilhoit of Wheaton College. "Spiritual formation" is the process through Read More
  • January 28 Devotional: Oswald Chambers +

    Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? —Acts 26:14 Read More
  • Coupla Things by Julie Moore +

    It has occurred to me that maybe more people would read my blog if the posts were shorter. I'm not Read More
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