The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
~Psalm 145:18 NLT
Relationships are built. Love, too. But love takes a lifetime, and it takes getting close to someone.
She worked one office over from me. Little did I know she was on the way out of a decade-long abusive relationship. When I discovered she would soon be available, I planned how to woo her. As it turned out, I didn’t have to do much coaxing—she took care of it. She baked goodies for me—ones she was trying to sell to raise enough money for her down payment on a necessary surgery. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach—and she marched right into mine.
Less than two years later, we were married. That was eighteen years ago, and I love her more today than I did then. She is my best friend, my supporter, and my greatest cheerleader. Where I go, she goes, and where she goes, I follow. Yet, we still work on getting closer and building our love.
According to the psalmist, God is only a whisper away from those who call on Him. We must initially come by confession and repentance, but thereafter, He wants to be involved in every detail of our lives. And He will if we ask.
Building a love relationship with God takes a lifetime—just as it does with my wife and any other important person in my life. If we take relationships for granted, they will sour, lose their vibrancy, and eventually grow cold. As I nurture my relationship with my wife, I must do the same with my connection with God.
Talking to God is essential. If I never talked to my wife, things would go south quickly. The apostle Paul advised praying without ceasing. God is with us all the time. We just need to be aware of His presence, ask His advice, and seek His direction.
Occasionally, I’ll write a love poem for my wife. She loves them, and I always get a big hug and sloppy kiss. God also wrote a love letter He wants us to be intensely familiar with. Time in His Word is vital in building a love relationship with Him. His Word instructs, warns, encourages, and comforts. All things a love letter should accomplish.
God enjoys us getting close to Him; He’s merely waiting for the invitation.
Father, draw me closer to You each day, and as You do, may I revel in the love relationship I am building with You.
–Photo by Sepp Rutz on Unsplash
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