Keys to a God-centered Relationship
Bro. Lito Dawa
Aug. 26, 2009
 
From the beginning, God was into relationships. He created Adam and Eve to have a relationship with Him and also with each other. We see the relationship between Jesus and the Father and the Holy Spirit, the relationship of Jesus and the Church,  the relationship of the Church with each other as the Body of Christ.

It is terribly shocking to see relationships between people turn from being a God thing to a "me thing." We enter into a relationship with our selfish reasons in mind: How can this make me happy? How can this fulfill me, complete me? How can this fill a need in me? How can this keep me from being lonely? How can this make me feel like I'm loved?

Have we found a person who can give all these to us? None. But there's one who can, God. If we ask for all these things, then we are self-centered.

Our God-centered relationships are our relationship with God, relationship between husbands and wives, relationship between parents and children, relationships between siblings, relationship with the Church, relationship with our employer and our relationship with others.

God should be in the center of all these. If He is there, we will tireless in serving, doing good for our loved ones.
 
Keys to a God-centered relationship

1. Do to others as you would have them do unto you (Mt. 7:12). (Practice the principle of reciprocity.)

Love others and they will love you. Care for others and they will care for you. Help others and they will help you when you are in need. If others don't do it back, it's because they have a problem and not you.

2. Work on your God-centered relationships above all (Col. 3:18-25).

Obey your parents as you obey God as your Father. Let us follow the will of God in our lives. As children of God, we should not be a cause of pain to people around us.

3. Nurture and feed your God-centered relationships.

Take time to share your life with your family, in your work place, in the community and in the society. Affirmation is important in every God-centered relationship. Let the other person know what they mean to you. A simple "thank you" is good enough and gives life to the other person.

4. Make God the center of all your relationships.

Know that people will let you down but God never will. Use God's word as a guide for your relationships.

In any relationship, there's a problem, there's always a risk. When you give yourself to others, you'll be hurt. That's normal; it always comes. If you enter into a relationship, get ready to be hurt. Even in our relationship with God, it's very clear we have to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. It's painful, but it brings good results.

5. Love above everything else.

Love never fails. "We love, because He first loved us" (1 Jn. 4:19).

God is continually loving us. That's what we give to people who hurt us or keep on hurting us. People who get tired loving don't want to be loved by the Lord anymore.

6. Be willing to forgive if need be and to say "I'm sorry" if you messed up.

Love and forgiveness is the foundation of every God-centered relationship.

"But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors" (James 2:9).
 
In a beautiful, healthy God-centered relationship between two people, it should be a wonderful competition who can serve the other better, who can show Christ to the other more. Relationships are gorgeous when both people in the relationship are constantly asking, "How can I serve you? How can I model Christ's humility to you?"