Deeper with God
We love because he first loved us. -- 1 John 4:19
Yahweh, Jehovah, Abba, Father. Many names, one God of all creation—sovereign and eternal. How humbling it is to know He welcomes us into a relationship with Him, and how joyful it is to experience those sacred times of fellowship with our Creator.
But what can we do when the deep and meaningful relationship we expect stalls, when we undergo a dry season, when we desire more but can’t seem to find it?
The growth of our relationship with God is not a one-way transaction. It requires effort from us.
When we are attracted to someone or passionate about something, we spend time learning everything we can about the object of our affections and passions. Why would we expect our relationship with God to require any less of us? In truth, it must require infinitely more.
Learn, Turn, Yearn
There is a cycle of actions that forms a spiral staircase leading us ever closer to God.
1. Learn - The way to know God is through His Word. We read and study the Scriptures. To understand something, we must give it our attention. When we read in such a way that we let the text embed itself in our heart and soul, then we can know the One who wrote it.
2. Turn - Unrepented sin is the greatest obstacle in our relationship with God. It separates us from a holy and pure God. Once we know God by studying His word, we understand how sin separates us from God and why we must turn from it to grow closer to God.
3. Yearn - Once we know who God is by studying His word, we yearn to know Him more and to do His will. Obedience is the only logical next step. We are cultivating a desire to please Him with our while being. That means acknowledging our sin and repenting while we continue to study and learn.
Each step is needed. If one is forgotten or missed, the cycle is broken. As we embrace the pattern of learning, turning, and yearning, our relationship with God will grow sweeter by the day. It is the desire of His heart to make it so.
Questions for Reflection:
1. How satisfied are you with your current relationship with God?
2. How could you spend more time getting to know Him through His Word?
3. Have you asked Him to reveal any hidden sin in your life?
4. Are you willing to repent? Is there an area where you are not following Him in obedience?
