1. God’s intent in creating me was to share an abundant life and intimate relationship with me.

(Before looking at the questions below, take a few minutes to think about this statement. Invite Jesus to speak to you about what He would like you to notice.) 

(Before looking at the questions below, take a few minutes to think about this statement. Invite Jesus to speak to you about what He would like you to notice.)

Imagine that God personally and intentionally designed, thought through, and created each part of your body, soul, and spirit. How does this make you feel?

If “relationship” is the space between you and Jesus, how would you describe that space?

How would you like that space—your relationship with Jesus—to be different?

Where are the places and when are the times in your life that you most sense God’s presence?

Would you say that you “enjoy” God? Do you think He enjoys you? Talk to Him about this.

Think about some of the best, deepest, and most intimate relationships that you have or have had. Imagine that God would like to join that list. What do you think of that?

God created people because He wanted to love them by sharing a relationship with them. As humans, unlike the rest of creation, we possess the capacity to participate in relationships, and in these relationships to love and be loved, to know and be known, and to make choices.

God is a relational being, and since we are created in God’s image, we too are relational beings. God’s design and desire is that as relational beings, we would thrive in relationships with others and with Him, and that through this relational process, we would flourish and live full and abundant lives. As our Creator, God knows and understand that our flourishing requires relationships, love, and especially His love.

Without participating in a loving relationship with God, we simply cannot flourish. God offers this opportunity to everyone; our choice is to receive it. Love is not truly love unless it is given and received freely, without conditions. This means that love—God’s love—can also be rejected.

As painful as it must be for God to allow us to reject His love and choose not to know Him and live in relationship with Him, it is the only way that God can love. It is important to know that

we cannot receive God’s love without being in a relationship with God. If we want His love, we must also participate in the relationship, and the better the relationship, the more of His love we experience.