2 Corinthians 5:14-21
We hear a lot about new forms of communication, these days. We use some of them. Which ones we use depend on what we need to communicate and with whom – and what means we have at our disposal. Much communication is exchanged electronically but such communication has its limitations. We have a measure of the limitations in how much data is exchanged:
Text messages (168 characters).
Emails (10-100 kilobytes of information).
Electronic photos (1-10 megabytes).
Videos (10-50 megabytes).
Facebook, Tweets, Pinterest and others (of all sizes).
These different types of communication involve different amounts of ‘data exchange’ but even a chat on the phone beats written messages for the amount communicated and, if it were possible to count the amount of ‘data’ communicated in a face-to-face meeting, we would have evidence that this one exceeds them all.
When meeting face to face we are tuned to the smallest changes in the other person’s facial expressions, their voice, their posture, subtle sounds, smells, and any slight changes in their body language. We receive ‘gigabytes’ of non-verbal information every second. Electronic communication has a place, but it is no substitute for a face-to-face meeting.
In a similar way we look forward to the day when we will meet the Lord God face to face. Nothing we experience in life on earth will be anything like it. But until then we see less clearly like a reflection in a window, and we must content ourselves with glimpses of his glory.
“How do you have a relationship with someone you can’t see?”
“This incisive question by a 15 year old student cuts to the heart of our dilemma about prayer. How do we pray to a God we cannot sense in a world that places so much emphasis on the tangible, the practical. Another difficulty turns on that word ‘relationship’. Much advice can be given to us about our relationships but essentially each one is unique and we have to work out our own way of being together in relationship.
“Does this mean that each of us has to muddle through to find our own unique way of praying – of being in relationship with God? Not entirely: muddle, there will be, but we can learn from what has worked for others, we can listen to their hints and see what works for us.” (-Kym Harris on prayasyoucan.com.au)
Experiencing God in the everyday
We’re talking about experiencing God in the everyday and to help us experience him, the Lord has given us some help – in particular, the Holy Spirit, the Bible, and fellow believers. God is within reach, but it takes two to relate, so there are things we can do to move towards him.
Establishing the relationship
The first thing to do is to establish a relationship with God and we do that through Jesus Christ. We recognise that we’ve got on the wrong side of God and we’ve no way of putting things right. Our choice to live life without God and the behaviours that result from that choice are what have caused this. We’re effectively dead to God and that’s why Jesus had to die.
Now, by exchanging my life for his, Jesus’ death becomes mine, I get forgiven and accepted by God. What is this exchange? Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’ (Matthew 6:24). Paul put it this way, ‘I have been put to death with Christ on the cross, so that it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. This life that I live now, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me.’ (Galatians 2:20).
After Jesus died on the cross God brought him back to life. Then, in the same way that God affirmed Jesus by raising him from death, so he affirms those of us who share Jesus’ death by raising us to life also. In sharing Christ’s life we share in the affirmation of God and enjoy ongoing relationship with the Almighty.
Getting to know him
Having established our relationship with God through Jesus we go on relating through Jesus. God is a spiritual being and we also are spiritual beings. Therefore we relate person to person in much the same way as with other humans. We listen, we talk, we do things together.
How do we get the full power of a face-to-face with God? Maybe we don’t, but we go for the best we can – and the best can be pretty good.
For myself – to move toward God, I pray. (Pray means converse with God.) At least once a day I read the Bible and pray. I try to keep my attention on God and not on other things – concentrate on him. But even distractions can’t wipe out our communication as God speaks to me any time.
How about you? How do you connect with God in the everyday?
Conclusion
It is possible to relate with God any time any day, or night. Try it and see. Find out what works for you and don’t be afraid of trying different things and of changing what you do from time to time.