From the beginning of time, relationships have been a vital part of humanity. We have friendships, familial relationships, work relationships, etc. The most important relationship, however, is the relationship between God and man. The moment God created Adam in His own image and breathed into him the breath of life, God established a relationship with him. We learn in Exodus 33:11 that God spoke to Moses, “face to face, as a man speaks unto his friend.” Abraham was called, “the friend of God” in 2 Chronicles 20:7, Isaiah 41:8, and James 2:23. In John 15:14, Jesus said to His disciples, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
Today, God desires to have a personal relationship with each one of His children. Having a healthy and meaningful relationship with God is something we should desire because of the benefits and blessings it will bring to our lives. Some of those blessings include having a solid foundation; being rooted and grounded in God’s love (Ephesians 3:16-19, Psalm 1:1-3); a proper view of our self-worth and identity in Christ (Ephesians 1:4, 1 Peter 2:9, 2 Timothy 1:9, Galatians 2:20); and a friend who is always with us (Isaiah 41:10, Hebrews 13:5). We should never, at any age, be satisfied with our current relationship with God. There is always room for improvement and room to grow. Let’s notice three ways that we can strengthen our relationship with God.
First, we improve our relationship when we continue to develop our prayer life. Communication is vital to any relationship – it is how we get to know each other, how we share concerns, and how expectations are expressed. The quality of our prayer life will be an indicator of the quality of our relationship with God. Remember that prayer is not limited to a certain time, a certain place, or a certain format! Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.” The idea is not that we are constantly on our knees and having our head bowed in prayer, but that we have a mindset of prayer. We should pray regularly, not just at a meal or before bed. Choosing to be vulnerable and real in our prayers will also help deepen our prayers. God already knows our heart and minds – there is nothing we are feeling or experiencing that He does not already see or know. The more we are willing to truly open up in our prayers, the more we will learn to rely on God for His strength and His help.
Second, we strengthen our relationship with God through Bible study. Food is how we fuel our physical bodies and God’s Word is the food that fuels our spiritual body. In Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4, and Luke 4:4, we read “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” In 1 Peter 2:2, Peter wrote “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” The Psalms are filled with verses that talk about God’s people desiring His Word. We should ask ourselves, “Do I desire (long for, hunger after, crave, yearn for) God’s Holy Word?” Psalm 19:10 says that God’s law, testimony, statutes, and commandments are “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” The purpose of Bible Study is not so we can say “I did my daily bible reading” or to just “check mark” that we did something. We need to remember the purpose of Bible Study is to draw closer to God and to learn more about who He is. We will never fully know who God is or appreciate Him if we do not spend time in His word. Remember that as life ebbs and flows, sometimes our personal bible study time will do the same but NEVER stop studying God’s word.
Third, we must fill our hearts and mind with praise. In Psalm 34:1-3, David wrote, “I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.” Throughout our days, our hearts should be full of praise – a constant recognition of who God is and what He does for us. When we see good things, do we stop and thank God? (James 1:17 – every good and perfect gift comes from God). When we are outside, in God’s creation, do we acknowledge His handiwork (Psalm 19:1)? When we are feeling discouraged, do we sing hymns to lift our hearts (Colossians 3:16, Ephesians 5:19)? When we keep our hearts and minds filled with praise, we will keep our hearts and minds focused on the right things (Colossians 3:1-2, Philippians 3:13-14).
Many people will miss out on having the best possible relationship with God because they are unwilling to put forth the time, energy, and diligence required. When we take the time to pray, to study, and to fill our hearts with praise, it will lead to a vibrant and meaningful relationship with God.
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