I was listening in on a conversation last week. Yes, it is a hazard of my profession to be aware of things going on around me, and my curiosity gets the best of me sometimes. So, let this be a warning, be careful around me. I probably am listening in.
Anyways, it was at a drug store across the street from where I work. I was paying for some tissues and cold medicine. The cashier was talking to another employee, he obviously is the manager. His peer asked him how he likes his new car. The manager went on to say he loves it, a Camero I believe. Additionally, he wishes he could spend more time in the car. He does not get enough time in it. He went on to say that three or four times in response to his peer. I left the store thinking how empty that must be. Who really wants to spend more time in a car? Even if it is a really nice car, I found the passion the person expressed as empty. The only time I really look forward to being in a car is on a ride home from work. I thought of the passage from Jeremiah about empty and broken cisterns hold no water and prayed on my return to my office about my empty and broken cisterns I place high value in.
But, God is interesting sometimes with ways that He continues to lead. He was not done with pointing me to Him through that conversation I heard. A few days later in praying about this blog and what I should write for it, a new scripture came to mind.


James 4:5 “Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"?””

God points to His Spirit craving to be with us. To be in intimate fellowship with you and I. Do I have that same craving to be with God?

I started writing this post several weeks ago. And I continue to ponder what this means. God wanting relationship with me, and why do I quickly run to other things. I was not even certain how to end this post, I was not done processing nor am I.

A few other examples came to my mind in relation to God and relationship.
One young newly wed couple in my church I see on occasion walking down the street. They are very interesting in that they seem genuinely enthralled to be with one another. You can tell outwardly in their non-verbal actions. Is that the same model God is pointing us to? That we walk hand in hand with Him totally enthralled to be with Him minute by minute. Marriage is an archetype of sorts of the relationship between God and the church. We have many examples that are in the bible, Ruth and Boaz or Hosea and Gomer, etc. There are many places that God uses the example of marriage to give us a picture of our relationship with Him.

It does not end there though. Two weeks ago I was challenged by someone to stress more on the relationship side of my walk with God. Not be as concerned about making certain to have the disciplined time of reading the bible. Not that I ignore God, but that I spend more time building personal relationship. The idea being that I have a lot of head knowledge of God, so that is not as important as the heart knowledge. So, I have been trying to be more personal again with God.
It is something that has bothered me recently that I’ve moved to more formality with Him. I think I have been keeping a distance through the use of disciplined time reading and praying versus the spontaneous time throughout the day.
So, a day or two ago I overheard a sermon on television. I was not watching it as I am not real fond of most televangelists. He was going through the need for Jesus for salvation, etc. And it struck me, He is probably preaching to people like me. People who already have heard this stuff over and over again. Not that hearing these things is bad; we all need constant reminder of them. But, it seemed lacking of relationship to me and was about knowledge.
The inclination of my heart is to pursue head knowledge of God over relationship. What should I do or anyone else with that? Are you the same way, ready to just learn but not interact?
I think that is the beauty of the two examples I provided and the passage about the Holy Spirit. The man with the car is probably going to figure out how to spend a little more time in his car, maybe take more trips. Maybe not at all, maybe it will just remain a meaningless statement to make it look like the car has value in his life.
The second is a little more of a profound example though. How often when I am on a road somewhere do I realize that God has my hand? He is walking beside me; all the while I ignore Him and think I am on my own?
I need to be like I am encouraged often to do in my men’s group. Make the bottom line prayers often. Saying, Jesus I am feeling like this or that. I am scared to death of this situation or circumstance. Or the simple, help me I don’t know what to do.

So how can this thought go full circle back to the theme of God’s jealousy of being in relationship to Him? God’s jealousy to have His Spirit in us. That is where it all starts. I need to know that fact just to be able to daily take a step of faith of learning to be more dependant on Him and less on myself. I need to know that deep love to be able to no longer keep a distance from Him. And I need that Spirit to move in my heart to be able to take the daily steps of relationship with Jesus.