Prayer and Relationship with Jesus

I am sure we have all heard that Christianity is not about religion, but is about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  That is exactly what we are currently studying in the Wednesday evening class I am leading.  Each one of us needs to determine what kind of relationship with the Lord we want.  Do we have one where sharing is on a casual and somewhat infrequent basis, or do we have one with an ongoing communication with the deeper concerns of our lives? Cynthia Hyle Bezek, author of Prayer Begins with Relationship asserts and is leading us through the latter type of relationship as we work through her book.

In the first chapter, the author illustrates through Scriptures that God desires to be our Friend.  While doing so, she is very careful not to dismiss or downplay His other roles.  God wants to share life with us as we would intimate friends on earth.  Do we share our very personal concerns, feelings with God?  God invites us to be His friend.  We know that meaningful friends have good communication and good conversations.  Prayer is the name we give to this conversation.

In the second chapter, the key idea is that “Our friendship with God deepens when we risk being open and honest as we talk with Him.”  Again, through many Scriptures the author pointed out many ways Jesus showed His feelings and emotions.  As we learn to share our feelings and emotions with Him, we grow in our relationship.  Our joy of prayer will grow.

The author continues to lead us, step by step, through other Scripture based steps to deepen our understanding of God and the kind of relationship He desires.  The last 2 chapters are titled, Tuning in to God’s Everyday Voice and Keeping Company with God.  I have read through the material but have not yet worked through all of the exercises and studied all the Scriptures.  I am really looking forward to developing my relationship with God in an ever deeper one as we finish this study in February.

I believe any person or group seeking a deeper relationship with God will learn from this book.  Prayer becomes a joy as we learn to talk with God and learn to hear His voice.  How Great is our Wonderful God! He wants to talk with you and with me.

Learning with you,
Pastor Gary