Seeking a Relationship

Throughout time, man has sought to know God. Many felt the need to appease the gods through sacrifice, nature worship, and primitive means that only brought confusion about God's true character.

After studying myth, superstition and many religions of the world, along with human secularism and logic, I always return to Christianity. In Christianity we have Jesus. We have the true nature and character of God demonstrated in God made flesh. The Bible says,

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5...The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (I John I:1-5, 14)

Many continue to claim the Bible is myth and superstition, and claim that anyone who follows God is part of the herd, yet everywhere I go I see true believers as a minority. The herd seems to be following what Jesus said is the "wide way that leads to destruction."

Throughout the Bible we find that God's peculiar people are just that - peculiar. They do not consist of huge herds of believers. Instead, God's people are found among small groups here and there, proclaiming the true nature of God and His Word.

So let's look at the nature of God.

1. God is love and love allows for freedom of choice. Compare that to your own nature. Do you allow others the freedom to choose or do you try to control them?

2. God is merciful and forgiving. Jesus taught his disciples to not only forgive their friends, but to also be merciful and forgiving to their enemies. A concept that wasn't popular in those days, or in ours.

3. God goes to all lengths to save man. He even sent His only begotten Son. There is an element of sacrifice in love. Love goes the extra mile for those that are loved, and with God, it goes even further -- love is extended to the undeserving, the rebellious, and those considered the "enemies of God." Yes, God continues to love even those who reject Him. Do we try to do the same?

4. God warns those He loves. An element of love that people really don't seem to understand is God's warnings and admonitions. Just like a loving parent, God says, "don't do that and don't do this." Instead of obeying God, man rejects His warnings and ends up in emotional, spiritual and physical messes. Several of the books in the Bible are filled with warnings concerning the last days and the fate of planet earth. Do you heed the warnings or are you like the generation it describes would exist prior to Christ's Second Coming? The Bible compares that generation to those who lived in Noah's day and didn't believe. They mocked Noah and were lost in the flood. Do you mock those who try to warn you? Do you mock the idea of Jesus' Second Coming? Are you part of the herd of unbelievers described in Matthew 24?

5. God is pleased when we practice faith. There is nothing that pleases God more than faith and obedience. Jesus was most pleased with those who walked by faith and not by sight. Over and over again He praised those who acted on faith. From the Roman Centurion to Mary Magdalene falling at His feet, Jesus was moved to compassion when acts of faith were performed. Do you have faith? Do you seek to please God or are you too busy trying to be popular with the world and not wanting to be thought of as a fool and admit your faith?

When God's character is studied and taken to heart, soon those studying the character of God will reflect Him. This is only possible through a "born again" experience that Jesus called man to...To be born again means to accept Christ into the heart and become new. "Old things are passed away, behold all things are made new." Seeking to be like Jesus becomes your life's goal -- to be loving, forgiving, compassionate, merciful, faithful and willing to die to save someone else, are all part of that new spirit within.

"And ye shall know them by their love..."