http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8-YO6g05aA
There are various classifications of friendship which exist. Work related individuals whom you share a relationship with based upon your occupation is one category. You may have social friends who you share a common interest in or with like dancing, karaoke or sports. However, most people usually only have a small handful of individuals who actually know you. Yet, even within this closely knitted network, there is a hesitancy to withhold information. This fear keeps scars from the past unspoken, secrets locked deep within your soul. This lack of trust keeps many friendships at a distance, never knowing the true you.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven,” Matthew 7:21.
This same concept applies to relationships with God. Whether you were introduced to church as an infant, youth or adult, it takes time to grasp and understand the nature of God. Those who attempt to make up for lost time often become overwhelmed by all the mysteries in life that go unanswered. During a high school youth group, I was introduced to the trust illustration. You stand up on a chair or stage, then fall back hoping your peers will catch you before you hit the ground. This exercise helped me realize that I wasn’t trusting God completely. Rather, I was doing everything in my power to maintain control, yielding to God only when I wasn’t strong enough. If I continued on this path, I would end up like the people Jesus refers to in Matthew 7.
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ – Matthew 7:22
Despite from wanting to exempt myself from the scenario above, I can’t say for sure that I don’t fit into this category. I have back tracked, slipped and fallen from my spiritual high as a high school Bible teacher for a decade. Yet, somehow I have lost my way, unable to find the support system that I need to regain that faith I once possessed. I guess the passage above serves as a warning, not to be complacent, thinking you have arrived spiritually. Rather, Jesus’ words humbled me, a reminder to get back to discovering and following God’s will in my living years. If not, we all might hear the chilling voice of Jesus say, “away from me, for I never knew you.”
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 