What is a Relationship with God?

A Christian is a redeemed person who has a relationship with God. Any Christian will define their salvation as a sinner who has been redeemed by the blood of Christ and they now have a personal relationship with the living God. Sure, they may use different wording but they will, in essence, make that claim to define their Christianity.

When we have a personal relationship with a fellow human being or a relationship with an animal, it is an interaction. I would like to use my relationship with my macaw as an example. I spend time with my bird. I can tell you about his personality, what he likes, what he dislikes, his favorite games, what he enjoys. I can tell you that if I do a certain thing, he will react in a certain way. I know that if I pick up my purse and keys, he will react a certain way because he wants to go on an outing. By the same token, he knows that if he behaves in a certain way, he will get a particular reaction from me. He lifts his leg up towards me and knows that I will pick him up. He will say a particular cute word and has learned that I will react in a certain way. He also knows that if he does something that I do not like, he will receive a reaction that he doesn’t like. These are small examples of a relationship between a human and macaw. I know much about him because I have spent time interacting with him. He knows about me because he has spent time with me. What he does with me, he will not do with other people. By the same token, I would not dream of kissing a strange macaw on the beak – at least that is if I value keeping my face intact and not bit off. I can put my finger against my bird’s beak and he will play with my finger. Again, I would not dream of doing that with a strange macaw – that is if I value keeping my finger attached to my hand.

As Christians, we know God through His revealed Word. The bible is God’s message to us about what He wants us to know about Him. His character, His justice, His mercy, His compassion is all revealed to us in His word. He speaks to us through His Word. His Word to us is not a one time read or even a weekly read. If we want to spend time with God and know Him, we do that through His Word, His revelation of Himself to us.

Using my silly example of knowing my macaw, I know him like others do not. I have developed a relationship with him because I spend time with him and interact with him daily. If I did not interact with him, I would not be able to tell the difference when he wanted to be left alone or when he wanted to interact with me. If I did not spend time in God’s Word daily, I would not come to a deeper relationship with my God. I would not get to know His character, His desire for my life, His holiness. Sure, we can go to church and listen to a sermon. But going to church and listening to a sermon is getting to know God through another’s words. I can tell you all about my macaw but you would not have a relationship with him, you would simply know about him. You may even grow to like him based on what I tell you. But your ‘relationship’ would be through my words, not your interaction with him.

A relationship with God is based on many facets which He has revealed to us in His Word. We are to interact with the body of Christ. We are to listen to sermons, we are to read devotionals and pray. But our prayers are based on His Word. Listening to a sermon is based on His Word but we cannot know God personally by listening to someone preach His Word much like I cannot know someone personally by listening to someone tell me about that person. As an example, back to my macaw, I have purchased books on macaws and have spent time on internet discussion groups about macaws. I have learned much about macaws and their quirks but all that I have learned has not developed my relationship with my macaw. Spending time in His Word develops the personal relationship with Him.

We pray for His will for us. We know His will because He has revealed it to us in His Word. We get to know Him personally because of His revealed Word. Without spending daily time in the Word, we leave out a key or foremost aspect in our relationship. God’s whole aspect of Himself that He desires us to know is revealed in His written Word. While salvation is not based on reading His Word daily, in this life much is lost in the personal relationship with the living God.

John 1:1 defines the Word: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (Joh 1:1 ESV). The Word of God is not merely words on pages contained in a bound book. The bible defines the Word as “the Word was God.” The whole of His being as He desires to reveal to us is found in His Word for the Word was God.  Without this personal knowledge as revealed in His Word, the relationship lacks an intimacy much if a couple were to adopt a 10 year old.  The child now belongs to them but until they interact and get to know each other as child to parent, there will lack an intimacy in that relationship despite how much information was given to them prior to the adoption.

Peace!