What does it mean to be a real authentic Christian?
Being a Christian is more than a name, it’s a relationship. We listen to His “whispered words” and respond to Him. An authentic Christian is in fellowship with the Holy One. It’s
An authentic Christian leans in to learn and stops to listen to the Lord’s Word – we yield to Him. It is intimate. There are three kinds of relationships between humankind and God: estranged, long-distant, or intimate.
Estranged?
The saddest place for the soul is an estranged relationship with the Holy. It’s not that God stands far off, it’s that we are enemies—aliens. He draws near, but we run away. We curse His name and wonder why we feel helpless, hopeless, and homeless.
We do not know God or care to know Him. His love, mercy, and kindness or foreign to us.
We breathe, but our breaths are shallow because our lives are empty. There is no victory in the rebel yell, and we are the walking dead.
Long-distant?
This relationship is different. It’s a long-distance relationship. We’re not enemies, but we’re not friends either. Our knowledge is limited, and our souls touch the Holy maybe once a week or twice a week if we think about it.
He moves to touch our soul, and we set in the pew motionless. We know the songs of praise and worship, but God is far from our hearts.
The Holy speaks, and we turn a deaf ear while looking for signs of His presence. We’re saved, and the ticket to heaven seems sufficient. We don’t think we need fellowship.
It matters not to us that when we meet Jesus face-to-face that we will be strangers. We hear something, but we’re not sure if it’s His voice or the voice of another.
Such a long-distant relationship hurts our soul and breaks our heart.
Intimate?
“forgetting what lies behind and straining toward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14 ESV
Philippians 3:13-14 ESV
Of all the relationships, this one is the purest form of fellowship with the Holy. Such a relationship, God treasures. An intimate relationship is rare, but not impossible.
We live in the shadow of His presence, for his voice whispers in our ear words of love, encouragement, mercy, and guidance. He is faithful to guide us, and we are in harmony with His will.
We bow in reverence and awe of the Living God. In Christ Jesus, reconciled, and in the Holy Spirit, known by name. It is personal and intimate.
This is our declaration of dependence: yielded our hearts and relinquished all rights to self. We’re liberated by this declaration.
He who breathed life in our soul is here. He is as near as the breath we breathe and as close as the beating of our heart. In fellowship, we want our hearts to beat in rhythm with the Holy.
Salvation is more than a ticket to heaven.
We are no longer estranged, and our relationship is not long-distant. We are reconciled with the Holy. Fellowship with the Holy is the essence of our faith and the heart of our relationship.
We are not living like the walking dead, but moving in harmony with the Living God. He speaks, we listen – we speak – He listens.
It is a love relationship, and He is the love of our life.
I invite you to join me here at “Words Whispered” as we move daily on this intimate journey to the heart of God.
Blessings,
