Day 52: Right Relationships

Reading: Proverbs 5:15-23

It seems that there is a lot of cheating in today's society when it comes to marriage. This reading is pretty straight forward about what kind of position we should take in our marriages and with our spouses. It is so easy to get tangled up in the temptations and patterns of the world, especially in this area of morals. It seems so acceptable now to sleep around and to have an "open" marriage or relationship, when it is clear in God's Word to be thankful for the spouse you are blessed with. Whether you are married, or want to be married one day, you need to decide now the type of person you will be to that future person. The decisions you make when you are single can tell a lot. Why disrespect your future spouse by sleeping with other people now? The whole "try before you buy" argument is shallow to me personally. If your relationship is based solely on sex and how it makes you feel and you are basing your chemistry on that alone, you will be one disappointed person once you both start to age. Respect your spouses, even before you know who they are.

What is your opinion on sex before marriage? Why?



What decisions do you regret when it comes to relationships? Which ones are you thankful for?




Reading: Mark 6:6b-29

Jesus was all about relationship. He proves that you don't have to be married to have companionship, as He sends out His disciples in pairs to go carry out the ministry. Doing God's work with others is always a great blessing. It's a way to stay accountable, have someone to bounce ideas off of, and to pick you up on those days that ministry is frustrating. We can learn something from this concept of going out in pairs or teams. Having others in support around us makes our work more efficient and easy as you both experience the same things. Jesus encourages good relationships with good people.
Yet we also see how a bad relationship works in this reading. Because of Herod's relationship with his brother's wife, he makes a decision that he regrets in taking John the Baptist's life. He makes a vow to Herodias' daughter, and she orders John to die. Immediately, Herod regrets this, but in fear of looking bad in front of everyone at his party, he orders it to be done. This relationship, as John told Herod many times, was unhealthy and immoral. Though it left Herod perplexed, he still liked to listen to John and kept him around. But because of this immoral relationship, Herod is wound up in it enough to take orders from the woman's daughter and make a horrible decision.
Good companionship is highly praised and encouraged by Jesus, but immoral relationships and bad companions come with a price. Choose who you surround yourself with carefully.

Who are your closest companions? Are they good or bad for your relationship with Christ?



Is there someone in your life that is causing you to make poor decisions? What can you do about it?




Reading: Exodus 29:1-30:38

Similar to what we read yesterday in meeting with God, a relationship with Him is just as important and majestic. We can never be worthy of His relationship. Jesus, as we talked about yesterday, provided that way for us to have a straight relationship with God and to come to Him without all the sacrifices and rituals. A relationship with God is indeed the most important one you can have, and His relationship better be the one you put first. Enjoy His presence and be thankful to Jesus for creating that opportunity to come to Him.

How would you describe your relationship with God?



What relationships in your life are you putting first?



Relationships will happen in this life, whether they are healthy ones or horrible ones. God's Word tells us how to live in right relationships with those around us, whether they are with the person you are married to, will be married to, companions, coworkers, fellow Christians and most importantly, with Himself. Putting God number one in our relationship categories will help us to have healthy relationships with all the others around us. Choose your relationships carefully, and be sure they aren't coming before your relationship with God.