DeeperSample

Stay Fresh

If you are bored with your relationship with God, it may be time for a fresh revelation about Him that includes fresh experiences in His Word and fresh experiences of sharing Him with others. The Christian life is an adventure that mixes delight and discipline, safety and risk, intake and outflow. The Lord never intended for our relationship with Him to be a dead end. His revelation of Himself is never tasteless. He is always calling us deeper.

Let’s make an analogy. Consider orange juice for instance. Go with me here. Let’s say you have a craving for orange juice. If you head to the store and come home with a can of the cheapest version of frozen orange juice from concentrate, plunk the goo into a pitcher, add tap water, and stir—you may be disappointed. But what if you head to an orange orchard in peak season instead? You handpick only the most flavorful oranges, juice them within minutes, and pour yourself a glass? Ahhhh, the fragrance, the taste—that kind of satisfaction cannot be described.

The same is true of our relationship with Jesus. If you merely exist on a spiritual concentrate, it’s time for sweeter, fresher, deeper. God hates the rote relationships based on dead rituals. He calls it religion. We serve a creative, energetic, and interesting God. He wants us to receive from Him directly. He is our Tree of Life. The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks: “What is the primary purpose of man?” The answer: “Man’s primary purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” We can expect to know God in the rich, full existence we were born to enjoy.

Activate

· Rate your relationship with God 1-10: yawn or glorious? If you find yourself lacking, consider unabashedly asking the Lord to reveal Himself again. Ask for fresh revelation from His Word. The Lord is by no means sorry when we want to know Him more, and there is always more of Him to be known. He longs for us to ask Him to reveal Himself and has specifically invited us to do so. He is actually excited about taking us deeper.

· Consider trying something new. Mix it up.

Ideas: Instead of setting your alarm for your quiet time tomorrow morning, ask the Holy Spirit to wake you—then jump up to be with Him. Take your Bible outside and worship gazing up into the sky. Spend your prayer time alone in the sanctuary of your church. Risk love by sharing your faith or offering to pray for your waitress at lunch. Be creative as the Holy Spirit leads.