the relationship that makes a difference…

so what’s it going to be on this road?  are you going to choose comfort and just make life easy?  or are you going to choose to develop those relationships where change can really begin to happen?  that’s probably the toughest one of all. 

now i’d be leaving you without the answer if i didn’t talk to you about the one relationship that helps you, that strengthens you at every one of these crossroads.  i’d be leaving you empty if i didn’t talk to you about the one person that loves you more than anyone else, that can do everyone of these things for you and help you do everyone of these things in all of your relationships.  that person is JESUS CHRIST.  HE wants to have a relationship with you. 

look at how HE talked about it in revelation 3.20 (nlt), look!  here I stand at the door and knock.  if you hear ME calling and open the door, I will come in and we will share a meal as friends. 

that’s HIS picture.  HE says, “here’s what I want.  I want a relationship with you.  it’s like I’m standing at a door and knocking.  if you’ll open up the door I want to come in and I want to sit down with you.  I want to share a meal with you.  I want to have a relationship with you where we talk about what’s going on in your life.  where we talk about what you’re struggling with, where we talk about the victories and the joys.” 

some of you may be thinking, “you don’t understand.  my life’s pretty messy right now.  it’s a mess inside.  if i open the door of my life to JESUS CHRIST and let HIM in HE’s going to see what a mess it really is.” 

i’ve got some news for you.  HE already knows what a mess it really is and still HE says, “I want to come in.”  still HE says, “I want to be a part of your life.”  still HE says, “I want to have a relationship with you.”  and HE doesn’t ask you to clean up the mess before HE comes in.  HE says, right now, just as you are, I want to come in, messy as it is and I want to be a part of your life.  I want to sit down.  I want to have a relationship with you.  and then I’ll even help you to start to clean up the mess.”  that's the kind of relationship that HE wants to have with you.

just a thought from the front porch…