“Jesus is my Homeboy.” You’ve probably heard this before, or seen it printed on a t-shirt somewhere. It’s kind of a goofy saying. I think the general idea is that I like Jesus. Jesus is cool. I’m a fan. If He were to walk in the room, I would give Him a fist bump. We need to be careful with how casually we approach our relationship with Jesus because while He is our closest friend and companion, He is also our Savior, our King, a just judge and the creator of the universe.
However, what I want to emphasize in this post is that you can have a relationship with Him. In fact, He desires to have a relationship with you. Although He is much more than your homeboy, He does want to be your closest confidant. He is the only one who truly never leaves your side. Jesus says, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15).
Maybe you know the ins and outs of the Gospel message. God gave His Son Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins, putting us in right standing with Him, so that we can escape Hell and one day enter Heaven. But does this reality impact your daily life now? It should. The reality is that when you accept the gift of salvation, the creator of the universe glues Himself to your hip and never leaves your side. Through joy and sorrow, He never leaves you alone. He can be called upon for guidance and strength at any moment and He always comes to your aid. He wants to share joyful moments with you and be the one to comfort you through tears of sadness. He is the God that makes everything beautiful in it’s time. He is the one that is constantly molding you and shaping you and equipping you for everything great and glorious that He has planned for your life. His love for you is overwhelming. It’s so vast that you can never begin to comprehend the depths of it. There is nothing that can separate you from this love. When this love becomes a reality to you, it should change your outlook on whatever season of life it is that you are walking through.
If you have never allowed the reality of a relationship with Jesus to permeate your life, I want to encourage you with some of the basic tools we have at our disposal to relate with God daily:
1. Read the Word
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. (Psalm 119:105)
The truth of the matter is alot of Christians don’t actually read the Bible. It’s a sad but true reality. Think of the Bible as God’s love letter to you. As you pore over it’s contents, you will be reminded over and over again that there is no length that God’s love wouldn’t go to for you. You will begin to understand the heart of the Father towards you. You will be awakened to the great plans that He has for you and you will start to grasp how important you are in His eyes. As you read it, you will begin to discern His voice more readily and will get a sense of direction from Him.
2. Live a Lifestyle of Worship
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God- this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1)
We often limit our idea of worship to the music portion of church on a Sunday morning. Worship is so much more than that. Worship is a lifestyle of celebrating who God is. Worship is giving God everything that we have. We can live a life of worship by recognizing that God is great and good and that He can be trusted no matter where we are at in life and no matter what we are going through. Although our circumstances may change, God doesn’t change. His goodness towards you doesn’t change and His love for you never fails. These are truths that we can hold onto. In each moment of our lives, whether we are at school, at work, or hanging out with friends our lives, our lips and our thoughts should convey an attitude of mind and heart that is confident in the love and grace of our heavenly Father.
3. Chat with God often
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:6-7)
One of the most amazing aspects of having a relationship with Jesus is that you have constant unlimited access to Him. We are able to approach God’s throne with boldness and confidence and we can have the full assurance that when we do we will find the mercy and grace that we need (Heb. 4:16). God cares about all the details of your life, big and small. There is nothing that you can’t tell Him. He wants you to trust Him enough to let Him into the deepest recesses of your heart. He tells us that when we open up our hearts to Him in prayer that He will cause His peace to guard our hearts and minds.
As you chat with God, make space to listen to what He has to say. God is always speaking. He speaks to us through His word and through the people that He has put in our lives. He uses a variety of ways to get His message through to us. We just need to have active ears and eyes that are looking out for His words in the circumstances of our lives. As you process through each stage and season of your life, keep asking the Lord, “What are you saying to me through this? How are you growing me through this? What is the lesson you want me to learn?” When we cultivate a mindset that is constantly seeking out God’s Word, we will recognize His voice more and more readily.
Salvation is more than a ticket to heaven. It is the guarantee that we can have a relationship with God while we are here on Earth. That relationship makes our lives worthwhile and puts us in touch with our true purpose and destiny. You were created to be a friend of God.
