Every Day A Special Day
JOHN 15:7
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Some husbands give their wives an anniversary present every year. The husband comes home from work, takes his wife out to dinner, gives her a great gift, and makes a big deal about that special day—but only once a year. The wife doesn’t receive much love, affection, and appreciation from him for the rest of the year. The husband doesn’t regularly take her out for dinner. There are no dates. There is no romance. But she knows that next year on their anniversary, there is going to be another great present, a nice date, and some kind words. What do you think? Do you think those wives are satisfied with that relationship? Or do you think they would gladly trade a big anniversary celebration for 365 days of love and tenderness and open communication? My decades of marital counseling would lead me to conclude that those wives are not satisfied with a once-a-year display of affection. They would rather have an ongoing romantic relationship instead of just one big event a year. Yet that’s what so many of us do with God. We do one big thing for Him and then say, “There You go, God. See, I love You.” And then we return to our normal life, looking out for our own personal needs and desires before His. Talking with our friends more than communicating with Him. Eating what we enjoy rather than spending time in fasting and prayer before our Creator and Sustainer. Yet God is a God of relationship. He is a God of communion, and He longs to be close to you. He appreciates the occasional biggies you do for Him, but much more, He desires your consistent obedience and ever-deepening relationship. He wants to know you truly love and value Him—not just for what He can do for you, but for who He is. God longs for you to fully live out the plan and destiny He has created for you. But that can happen only in the context of a relationship with Him. In Scripture, that’s called “abiding,” and it is one of the most strategic and satisfying things you could ever do.
My desire is to be near You, Lord, as You desire to be near me. But I often get distracted with the circumstances of life that surround me. Remind me when I am away from You mentally or spiritually so that I can return to a place of nearness to You.
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