"...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