His story 35: Relationship

Now of course, like in all relationships, we do miss out on intimicay with God if we wander away and go after other “lovers”.
But the foundation for that intimacy He offers us is never based on our achievements and faithfulness.
It is only based on his goodness and our willingness to receive it.
So how do we receive it?
Conversion is like a betrothal.
But then the covenant only starts.
Like marriage is not the end of a unity, but rather the beginning, and needs to be worked on intentionally in order to grow and mature, so our relationship with God takes intention in order to develop.
I would not want to say it is hard work though.
If being married is like hard work to you I truly wonder if something is missing.
I belief that much of the suffering people experience in marriage through the wrong (or undesired…) treatment of the spouse would effect us much less if we truly considered ourselves to be crucified with Jesus.
By no means I am saying we should let others beat us up, either physically or with words.
Yet we can choose to respond the way Jesus did when being taken.
I do not mean we have to undergo the suffering Jesus went through, because He did that in our place.
Rather I am speaking of his kindness, his nature, his mind.
Jesus response when being killed was “Father forgive them” and “Father into your hands I commit my spirit”.
When we truly live our lives to give love, and not to demand or even expect it from others, I belief we suffer less from the way we are treated.
And we can keep our joy and sense of self worth even when people do not affirm us.
Because they are not in our lives to give us things, but so we can give them love.
And I belief that a kind, tender and forgiving heart melts many hearts of stone.
We may need to put up boundaries when we are abused in any way, but we can keep our hearts tender when we do and pray for those that hurt us.
We may need to love some people from a distance.
But we can love them still.