Simple Reminders: Humans are Social Creatures
courtesy of hoefi @ SXC.hu
I mentioned it once before in Keys to get it Done but let’s talk about it again. The Simple truth is that if God wants to do something He does it. He wants to create the world so he does. He wants to flood the world, so he does. Restore, exile and re-restore the Israelites, He does all of this and there isn’t anything anyone can do about it.
Yet for some reason, when Jesus, the Word made Flesh, the Living Son of God, He who is wholly human and wholly divine (more on that later), he doesn’t just do it. He recruits people to help him do the work. Not only does he recruit people, but it’s the first thing he does once he really gets his ministry going. If our Lord God and Savior decided to do things differently to establish the New Covenant (which is only the most significant event in the bible) then don’t you think we should pay attention here?
So why did he do things differently?
Because he loves us and wants to know us.
Now He could just pop into our heads and learn all about us because He’s the omnipotent and omniscient God, but he doesn’t because he values us and wants relationship with us on our level. Relationship is the key. The system of give and take between people creates a dynamic that allows us to learn and grow.
So now the question becomes, what are the benefits of relationship?
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It truly is amazing that God would choose to use people like you and me. But that is His way. God has always called people to be with Him in His purpose to save a world of rebellious sinners. When God wanted to save the human race from itself in the of the flood, He called Noah. When God wanted to have a people who would bless the whole world, He called Abraham. When God wanted to give His message to His people, He called prophet after prophet. When God wanted to prepare people for the coming of His Son, He called John. When God wanted to get the good news of Jesus to the ends of the earth, He called apostles and disciples–people like you and me. What an amazing God! –Richard
For some reason this post reminded me of our foundations’ approach to fundraising. Sure, we always benefit from donations, but more importantly, we believe the donor benefits. They feel part of our ministry when they give time and/or money. They have to (literally) buy in to our vision.
I wonder God had something like that in mind too? When we are co-creators with him, we accept more pride and responsibility for our part in his kingdom.
As for the benefits of relationships… we don’t have to alone when we are in relationship with others.
God is relationship–Father and Son and Holy Spirit=One. He even invited us into that relationship. All we had to do was to choose the right tree . . . but n-o-o-o . . . . We wanted to live by our own knowledge and be independent of God. E-e-e-e-p! Wrong!
It took the cross to get things back on track. What a price! So we, who believe and trust in Him, He has pulled out of the pit. What will we do? Many of us are just standing beside the pit instead of journeying ahead on in the path He has for us. He paid a lot for this relationship to be restored. Like you said, let’s move ahead WITH Him, learn who our Shepherd is, and in the process learn who we are and who our brothers and sisters are and allow Him to make us one, as He always intended.
I agree 100%. Something we have to consider however, is that plenty of people are out there who don’t know what relationship with our Lord means or are not ready to engage in it. My point is that we as Christians need to moe very deliberate choices to find relationship and community as much for our own sake as to demonstrate it to others.