“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness' " (Matthew 7:21-23).
He's more interested in who you are — your relationship with Him — than what you can do for Him. God will always honor His Name, His Blood, and His Word, but how well does He know you? Yes, how well does He know you? He may be omniscient, but do you share with Him, confide in Him, reveal yourself to Him, as one does a friend?
In verse 23 He said, "Depart...I never KNEW you." Think about that. A sovereign God who knows all there is about you — all the facts — but have you "allowed" Him to know you? How much have you let Him into your life? Is it all business with Him — serve, serve, serve — or is He your best friend, you can do anything with?
In a relationship you share with the other person, you open up to them, you become vulnerable. Marriage is the ultimate example of this.
Turn to Ephesians 5:22.
"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body."
You have to choose relationship with Him. He draws you; He desires it! But it's still your choice.
In a relationship with God, you are in a commitment to follow Him, to obey Him and submit to Him, not just surrender. You cannot just be self-centered, stomp your feet and say, "You were supposed to do it this way."
"And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light" (Colossians 1:9-12).
This relationship is a partnership: He gives, you give. You work together for one another, not merely for your own motives and rights to be upheld. It's teamwork; it's not meant to be a cake-walk all of the time. Any worthwhile commitment will take work.
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him" (James 1:2-5).
One cannot have a partnership with one another in the Body of Christ without knowing one another—as they currently are—the good, the bad and the ugly. As with the Lord, He takes us where we are at and it's His Love that changes us, but we must be willing to accept that Love and Love Him in return and not just be playing house.
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