Day 61: Relationship Builders

Reading: Psalm 28:1-9

We Build Relationship through Prayer
When we are in a close relationship with our friends and family, we actually talk to them! The same concept goes with building a close relationship with God. Prayer doesn't need to be this complicated act or ritual. It is a simple task of relationship that can be done in any way. When we go to God in prayer, we are simply talking and listening to Him - it is full communication with Him. You could just follow the many models laid out for us in the Bible to start, or just pray to God, adoring Him, confessing sins, thanking Him, and praying for others. Jesus gives us the model with the Lord's Prayer, but there are many Psalms that can be prayed as well. Just talk to God and listen for His voice, and your trust and reliance on Him will grow. We see David in constant communication throughout Psalms with God. He wrote his prayers. You can do this too, so you can also see how they've been answered. Just stay in touch with God throughout your day!


Reading: Mark 11:1-25

We Build Relationship through Passion
A passionate relationship with God means we will do anything and all for Him. When Jesus rides in on a donkey, the people cheer and cry out to Him, showing their love and passion for Him. Our praise to God and our cheerful welcoming of Him, no matter how humble, shows our passion for Him.
Our passion for Him will be revealed through the fruit we produce for Him. When we live lives that follow God and His commands, our lives will reveal it. The fruit we bear will prove we want to do what Jesus did. May not always be perfect, but we try daily and make that choice daily to do what He did, and honor God with our lives.
Our passion for God won't smear His face and Name in the mud. The money changers in the temple did not have a right heart for God. When we misuse His name and use it to further our agendas, we fail Him, and our passion is for ourselves. We need to watch how we live our lives. Does your life as a Christian give God a good name? Are you out for your own agenda, or to further the name and purpose of God? Our passion will reveal the way we live.


Reading: Leviticus 7:11-8:36

We Build Relationship with God through Jesus
As we've been learning and reading the last few days, Jesus came to close the gap between us and God. Because of Him, we have an even higher advantage than the Old Testament priests had at building that relationship because we don't need to worry about the rituals and the veil between us and God. We can go to Him directly, as Jesus died to eliminate that veil. Priests needed to go through a long ritual to be worthy to come to God on behalf of their people, but Jesus made us all worthy in God's eyes by taking our sin and sacrifice. We just need to accept His gift and we can build the relationship through Him.


Relationships can be tough. But building a relationship with God is easy. When we pray and have passion for Him, we will find ourselves living a life that is pleasing to Him. Jesus made that all possible for us through His death on the cross.