Relational Spirituality

200px OswaldChambersWhen Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples . . . He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities -Matthew 11:1

He comes where He commands us to leave. If you stayed home when God told you to go because you were so concerned about your own people there, then you actually robbed them of the teaching of Jesus Christ Himself.

When you obeyed and left all the consequences to God, the Lord went into your city to teach, but as long as you were disobedient, you blocked His way. Watch where you begin to debate with Him and put what you call your duty into competition with His commands. If you say, "I know that He told me to go, but my duty is here," it simply means that you do not believe that Jesus means what He says.

He teaches where He instructs us not to teach. "Master . . . let us make three tabernacles . . ." (Luke 9:33).

Are we playing the part of an amateur providence, trying to play God's role in the lives of others? Are we so noisy in our instruction of other people that God cannot get near them? We must learn to keep our mouths shut and our spirits alert. God wants to instruct us regarding His Son, and He wants to turn our times of prayer into mounts of transfiguration. When we become certain that God is going to work in a particular way, He will never work in that way again.

He works where He sends us to wait. ". . . tarry . . . until . . ." (Luke 24:49). "Wait on the Lord" and He will work (Psalm 37:34). But don't wait sulking spiritually and feeling sorry for yourself, just because you can't see one inch in front of you! Are we detached enough from our own spiritual fits of emotion to "wait patiently for Him"? (Psalm 37:7). Waiting is not sitting with folded hands doing nothing, but it is learning to do what we are told.

These are some of the facets of His ways that we rarely recognize.

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

  • Falling in Love With God +

    “falling in love with God,” as Boa’s subtitle for the facet explains. In this approach we attempt to enter into Read More
  • An Infallible Assurance: John Donne +

    Our God is not out of breath, because he hath blown one tempest, and swallowed a Navy: Our God hath Read More
  • At the Feet of Jesus: We Fall Down +

    Chris Tomlin We fall down and lay our crowns At the feet of Jesus The greatness of Your Mercy and Read More
  • I am Not a Robot, I am a Unicorn: Learning How to Communicate in a Fallen World +

      Read More
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Hidden Blessings

  • Praise as Warfare by Sylvia Gunter +

    Praise is adoration of God for who He is, His person, His character, His names. It is loving God because Read More
  • Followers First by Steve Tamayo, Chatham Community Church +

    What does it mean to be a Christian? Read More
  • Dallas Willard on Spiritual Formation +

    What does it mean to be a disciple, to follow the disciplines necessary to serve Jesus with our whole heart? Read More
  • Cultivating joy to proclaim the gospel +

    And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Mark 16:15 Read More
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