Of all the attributes Jesus Christ exemplified, one stands out as the most critical …the importance of a personal relationship with abba Father (Pappa). Jesus claimed “I and my Father are one” and He modeled his close relationship with Father God by going away often to be with him in prayer. Oh, the love Jesus had for His Father, enough to submit completely to His will, even unto death.
Our primary focus as sons and daughters of God is to be in an intimate relationship with Him. So often, we find ourselves “doing church” at the expense of developing a relationship with a personal, loving Father. This needs to change.
How do we develop an abiding relationship with our Father? Like any relationship, it takes focused commitment and a willingness to do everything possible to nurture the development of a growing relationship. Here are 5 keys to developing a close relationship with our Father, God (it spells TRUST)
Time – For a relationship to develop, we must “hang out” with God and spend time together. Time in Prayer and time in His word are good places to start.
Respect – When we respect someone, we are sensitive to thier feelings and needs. We honor them and avoid doing those things that could bring dishonor or shame to the relationship.
Understanding – We want to know and understand those we love. We want to know thier likes & dislikes, what they aspire to and what they avoid. The more we can understand God, the fuller our relationship will be.
Sacrifice – A strong relationship requires some level of sacrifice. We must at times set aside our needs and wants in order to support the relationship. When we sacrifice for God, we not only strengthen our relationship with Him, we strengthen ourselves in the process.
Treasure – We will hold onto what we treasure and we will let go of what we don’t. If we treasure our relationship with Father, it will be a high priority in our life and we will invest the time and energy to develop and nurture the relationship.
You’ve probably picked up that TRUST is a formula to build any strong relationship, whether it is with God or with a loved one. The more TRUST you have, the better the relationship.
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