How well do you know…?

Glory to God my Father and King.  I love and honour You Jesus Christ, the Owner and Master of my soul.  Holy Spirit, You are the centre of my heart and because of You I can face the challenges in this world.  Amen!

8 September 2013, I have been married for 23 years and knowing my husband for 24 years.  I regard this as an achievement and I give the Lord the glory for 24 wonderful years with the man I love and adore.  I could not have asked Jesus for anything better.  Glory to God!  My dear husband, I love you very much and I thank you for always supporting my dreams and goals; and for acknowledging me as an important role in your life.  Amen!

I realise that after being with my husband and off course best friend on earth, I know him very well.  Without words, I can see when he is irritated and in a bad mood.  I can see it when he is approachable and not.  I know his preferences and dislikes.  He is a people’s person and love to minister to all ages, especially the aged.  I know his favourite meals, drinks and treats.  His dreams and goals are known to me and when he is not feeling well, it shows.  Knowing someone this well, comes with time, patience and love.  You start looking beyond what you can see and then you discover what is in that person’s heart.  That is why people who fall in love, stay in love and remain married even when difficult challenges arise.  You know and see their heart without one word being spoken.

The Bible in the Book of John 2:1 – 11 tells us how Jesus changed the water to wine.  It says in verses 3 – 5:

“When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to Him, “They have no more wine.”  “Dear woman, why do you involve me?”  Jesus replied, “My time has not yet come.”  His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”

What an amazing revelation in these verses.  Now Jesus, the Son of God, was born into the house of Joseph and Mary, as selected parents by God Himself.  He knew that they would be the best parents for His son, Jesus.  Jesus grew up like any other child, but He was not ordinary.  He was God’s son and Joseph and Mary knew that.  They knew that there was a greater purpose for Jesus on this earth and they knew that He would fulfill that purpose as the Son of God.  Now, Mary knowing her son and knowing He was Lord knew that Jesus had the ability to do anything.  Think about it for a moment.  This is the first miracle Jesus performed in public, but how did His mother knew He could do it, if it did not happen before perhaps in their own home?  Nowhere in the Bible does it tell us more about His life as a child and what had happened in His parent’s home when He grew up.  But I am sure, being Lord, it was part of who He was since the day the Holy Spirit came upon Mary and the power of the Most High overshadowed her (Luke 1:35).  She also knew that when the day came for Him to die for us, nothing would keep Him back, for it was His purpose.  How did she know this?  Other than the Holy Spirit that showed her, she spent time with Jesus and watched him as He grew up.  She was in a relationship with him.  Amen!

This revelation spoke so deeply to my heart.  My question today is; how well do you know your husband, children, family members, co-workers and friends?  Do you spent enough time with another to not just know what you can see, but what is in their hearts?  Relationship in the online dictionary is described as “the way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected and the state of being connected by blood or marriage.”  Amazing is it not?  You see, when you are connected to someone in some way, there is relationship, otherwise it is just someone you walk past with no interest in each other.  So, a parent who just is a parent for the sake of it might know the child because they are together every day.  However, if you are not in a relationship with that child, you might never know his/her heart, dreams or true feelings.  This is damaging to families.  The same apply with colleagues and friends.  It takes time to get to know someone but once you get to know them, you start feeling comfortable to share your heart and then the connection takes place, with the result that relationships are established.

Many get hurt in relationships, I agree.  What we need to ask ourselves is whether Christ is in the centre of that relationship.  If you build a relationship on anything else than Christ, the relationship is bound to fail.  The good news is that with Christ in your relationships, there is a strong foundation, that even when shaken, trialed and tested, it will not fail.  Yes, we hurt another but we are only human.  When Christ is in that relationship, anything can be fixed, healed and restored through His power and strength within us.  What He then asks is for us to forgive and hand it over to Him to restore.

Therefore, in closing, what we need to remember is that it starts with us.  Are we in a relationship with Christ?  Have we taken the step to invite Him into our hearts in order to be connected to Him?  Once that step has been taken we are connected forever.  Then we need to work at that relationship by spending time with Jesus in order to get to know His heart.  That is what He wants from us, to know His heart.  The more time you spend with Him, the more You will find out about His master plan for you.  The special part about this relationship is that when we have sinned, we will know it immediately for the Holy Spirit will tell us; and then there is forgiveness when we confess our sins.  We are washed clean by the Blood of Christ.  Hallelujah!  That is why I say if Christ is in two people who are in a relationship, like me and my husband for 23 years, you can make it work and you can overcome all challenges through the centre of your relationship, Jesus Christ.  Amen!

How well do you know Christ?  If you have never given your heart to Him and want to start having a relationship with Him, you can pray this prayer and then get involved in the relationship, by talking with Him, listening to gospel music and reading and living out the Word of God in the Bible.

Jesus Christ, I acknowledge You as the Son of God, who died on the cross for me, overcame death and rose on the third day.  Please come live inside of me and have a relationship with me.  Please come and change my heart, thoughts and actions.  Please forgive me for all the wrong I have done in my life and the sins I have committed against You, others and myself.  In Jesus name I pray.  Amen!

With lots of love in Jesus Name

Princess K

PS:  Dear reader, please remember that the scripture used are from the New International Version.  If the scripture is read in another language and translation it might differ slightly.  A verse in the NIV might be a different one in your Bible, i.e. Ps 37:3 in the NIV might be Ps 37:4 in your bible.  This does not always occur, but happens in some instances.