Devotion from JCM Team Member Amy:
“I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one, just as We are one; I am in them and You are in Me, that they may be perfected and completed into one, so that the world may know [without any doubt] that you sent Me and [that You] have loved Me.” - John 17:22-23
Jesus walked on the earth as a perfect man, united with his Father, showing the world that we have the 'free will’ to return to an intimate relationship with God by accepting His Son, Jesus Christ, as our Savior.
As we look around the world it is so easy to see how divided people are on so many levels, too many to list. So, I prefer not to fill my mind, my soul or my spirit with such strife, rather, I desire unity. Not a single human is able to provide perfect unity to everyone in the world, so I have decided that my attempt at 'world peace' must start with me. I love the Lord and I want to experience perfect unity with Him, because then, perhaps through me, His love will shine so bright that another human being will turn to Him. Hallelujah! However, unity with God can be different for everyone.
Someone once asked me, “What kind of relationship do you have with the Lord, and would you want to change it?” To answer that, I would need to first define the relationship options we have with Him. They would look something like this:
Stranger: Someone who denies God’s existence or have never heard of Him.
Acquaintance: Someone who owns a Bible and maybe attends a church.
Friend: Someone who loves Jesus, accepts Christ as their Savior, is born again and active within the Body of Christ.
Intimately Acquainted: Someone who surrenders themself to the Lord and listens daily for His whispers of direction.
Intimacy is key. It brings us into a place of deep connection, to the point where our heart grieves for lost souls, or life feels unbalanced if we haven’t spent time with the Lord first thing in the morning. Intimacy makes conversations in prayer a time of praise and thankfulness, thanking Him for the goodness He provides. It can also make love between us feel overwhelming. It creates a hunger to learn as much as possible about Him, studying the Bible in an effort to dive into deeper discoveries. And although we make mistakes, He is a forgiving Father and gives us grace. And so, even if you feel like your world is crumbling, when we are intimately acquainted with God, He brings you joy in those moments, with His everlasting presence.
God knows that you are striving to put Him in first place of your priorities. He gave us free will and we all get to ‘choose' what kind of relationship we want with our Creator. I love the Lord so much that my heart aches and I made the decision a long time ago that the only relationship I want with the Lord, is an intimate one. I want to be part of the remnant. Come join me in the daily journey to serve our Heavenly Father.
Your Sister in Christ,
Amy
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