"...he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go
to the other side..." Mark 6:45
Often, to get to the other side where God desires for us to go,
we must get in the ship. But, it has to be the right one...the
one where He is, and that is a "Relation"..."ship" with God!
Relationship is defined as an existing connection, association,
or involvement between; etc. Prayer is not just communication,
it is also relationship. Prayer is a "discipline," and to be a
true "disciple" of Christ, you must have the discipline of
prayer in operation in your life. "Re" means to do again. When
respectively connected with "lation" and "ship," as being
transported as a vessel, it forms the word "Relationship." Such
insight indicates that it takes a lifetime to get there. Over
and over again, every day we must voyage into the presence of
God.
Years ago during a busy Christmas season for a period of about
three weeks I got so busy, working in the church and Sunday
school room on Saturdays, when I normally would spend much of a
Saturday afternoon in prayer. That third week while there, I
heard the voice of God say softly "How rude, you stop by My
house, and don't even say hello." My goodness...what conviction!
Immediately I went into the sanctuary and knelt in prayer to
spend quality time with God. Wow, that incident caused me to
really understand the value of my personal "relationship with
God," and how He really loves us and desires to commune with us
on a regular basis. Prayer should not be seasonal, but
year-round. Don't give the Lord Holiday leftovers. Give Him the
first fruits...priority time, every day and every season. Don't
say "due to the present circumstances...I don't have time to
pray." Stop making excuses. Realize that "Often we are not a
product of our circumstances. We are a product of our
decisions." Don't get caught up in the Holiday rush. Remember,
"Jesus is the Reason for the Season!"
Our relationship with God should be a lifestyle. Prayer should
be a lifestyle. We must allow the Word of God to become a part
of us and manifest in our actions. James 2:26 says "...Faith
without works is dead..." We must take responsibility or
"ownership," and be accountable for our actions. In this
ownership, when we have a "relationship" with God, then
"fellowship" comes naturally. We are called into fellowship with
Him (I Corinthians 1:9). A beautiful "friendship" develops also.
Proverbs 18:24 says "...there is a friend that sticketh closer
than a brother." Abraham was a friend of God (Isaiah 41:8). We
can be too.
In Acts 27:1 at a point during the great storm Euroclydon,
"Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the "owner"
of the "ship," more than those things which were spoken by
Paul." But Paul had already taken "ownership" of His
"relationship" with God and said "Except these abide in the
ship, they cannot be saved." (Acts 27:31). His "relation" with
God had prevailed and those in the "ship" were saved! Do you
think that those who are not in a "relation"..."ship" can be
saved in situation, or perhaps in eternity? This is something to
think about. The reality is that when you feel that you are in a
"battleship" the main thing that will help you in the storms of
life ...is your relationship with God! So get on board and sail
with the "Captain of our Salvation" (Hebrews 2:10) who speaks to
the winds and the waves and calms the storm in the sea of life.
So maybe if you are singing Christmas carols this season "I saw
three ships come sailing in on Christmas Day in the morning..."
just keep in mind this seasonal song of glee regarding these
"three" ships will never surpass the "one" ship of Zion that you
will board homeward bound to Heaven. All because you decided in
this life beforehand to get on another ship in transport, and
that is your "relation"..."ship" with God, so that you can have
"citizenship" in Heaven!
Sis. Flo Shaw
International
Coordinator
World Network of
Prayer