Morning Musings - Two-Way Street

Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...


 
Open wide your hearts; relationships are a two-way street.  In  2 Corinthians 6:11-13 we read about Paul speaking to the Corinthians "as to my children."  He opens his heart to them and wants that reciprocated.  A relationship takes effort and input and needs to be ongoing and sustained to keep it vibrant.

Don't withhold affection from each other (appropriate manner, of course).  Same with our Heavenly Father.  He has given us so much, how do we respond?  Ignore or engage?

The Corinthians were ignoring and outright disowning that they even knew Paul and Timothy.  Yet Paul was the one who had brought them the Gospel message of Jesus in the first place.  He had taught them the way of Jesus!

Paul suffered many hardships doing that too and this on their behalf.  They knew it, yet, again,  they were regarding Paul and Timothy as impostors!

Thus Paul's very direct and blunt exhortations and admonitions to them. He topped those with a softening appeal for them to open their hearts wide to Timothy and himself, as brothers-in-Christ and as friends and to a relationship of mutual affection.  This was Paul, as father to his spiritual children.

Similarly we can establish such two-way relationships with our children; or as children, with your parents.  God loves to work in families.   It takes time and trust but they can develop over time.

A second plane is to open wide our hearts, as children of God, to Him, and build up this relationship.  It is the most important one in the whole wide world, universe, and all of creation for that matter.  God seeks to commune with us.  Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.  He has gone all out for you, will you go all out for Him; with Him?


For those of us in the family of God, we need to reach out to each other too; especially within your local church.  I read one writer once (sorry I can't recall which book or writer) who asked if you know your church members well enough to even know the name of their cat!  This is not in the busybody manner; far be the thought!  However do we care about each other enough to get to know them and their cares and concerns so that we can help each other mature in Christ and give help in time of need?  Console and mourn when they mourn?  Rejoice when they rejoice?  This too, is a two-way street.  Do we allow others into our life to accept their care for us?    

May the Lord enable us all in our relationships to take the time, make the effort and give the care as well as to receive it.

                                                     ~ERC  2016~