Our most important activity...

I'll never forget the first time I was made to do a "solo" time with God. I say "made" because that's just it, I was made. The location was Colorado and the event was Wilderness Trek Christian Camp. We were deep in the mountains when the guides circled us up, confiscated our watches, and sent us out with Bible and notebook for three hours. As a 22 year-old hyper active young adult this was torture!... well, at least at first. Soon I loved it, and in the years that followed I became one of those guides who made others take their first steps into solo time. Being alone with God would become a regular thing for me for the rest of my life. But it's always been a challenge. 


What is our most important activity as a believer and disciple of Christ? What a question! Sorry, but it's on my mind today. After a great discussion with some brothers last Monday night I've thought about this question off and on. Then, I open my Bible and read, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” - Psalm 73:25-26

Here on the big blue rock, do I desire nothing but you? Perhaps the good King David means material things. I should not desire any "thing" more than my God. That's true. But I also desire my friends, my wife, my kids. I desire some very good things in life as well. So what gives? Here's what I think is the main point: "Cultivating our personal relationship with God is the most important corporate activity in which we will ever engage." Here's why. 

In responding to people in our lives there are only two options for us, we can either respond from our flesh or from the Spirit of God. Every single corporate interaction, whether it be with a friend, an Elder, a sister, a wife, or a child, comes from one of these two. Every word spoken, from the great and hard topics of conversation to the most gentle of passing small talk, flow from the Spirit of God or from our own flesh. What determines our response then? That can only be our own rootedness in Him. And our rootedness in Him can only be found through a cultivated and deep relationship with the Father. And this relationship with the Father can only come by spending time with Him. 


I like how Boyd puts it in his action guide for chapter 6, The Revolt Against Individualism: 


"It may seem ironic, but it is impossible to enter in to relationships that reflect the love of the triune community unless we ourselves are getting our Life from God. We all need deep, meaningful relationships, but they are not to be our source of Life. When our need for worth, significance, and security isn't met by our relationship with God, we end up using people to try to meet this need. Kingdom relationships shouldn't be a means by which we get Life from others. Rather, relationships are meant to express and share in the fullness of Life we receive from God." (Myth of a Christian Religion, page 187.)

In a chapter dedicated to challenging the destructiveness of Westen individualism on the Church (which is an awesome chapter) Boyd finishes by reminding us that we must have a personal relationship with God in Christ or it's all for nothing. I think Boyd is spot on: Kingdom relationships shouldn't be a means by which we get Life from others. Rather, relationships are meant to express and share in the fullness of Life we receive from God."

Bottom line: We must get alone with God. Jesus did it. The desciples did it. The early church did it. And so must we. If we do not take time to walk through the woods with God, to sit in the closet with God, to lay quietly in bed, before getting up, with GOD,  -whatever it takes - we will inevitably loose our center on Christ, miss His voice of guidance, and damage our relationships with people.  "Cultivating our personal relationship with God is the most important corporate activity in which we will ever engage." Perhaps this seems like a difficult task to you. It often does to me. 


Fortunately, even in regards to this cultivation the primary responsibility falls to the Spirit of God. I have zero power within myself to foster a love for God or build a relationship with the Father. My only duty, therefore, as in everything, is to surrender to God's Spirit and declare each day: My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. I do make the choice, sure. As James wrote: "Draw near to the Lord and He will draw near to you." -James 4:8. But once I decide to draw near the Spirit takes the labor and the work of actually knitting my heart to God's. I can do nothing. I can only admit my own inadequacy to cultivate a relationship with God and then fall back into His love and grace and watch as He draws near to me. This I have felt a thousand times. 

God loves us so very much. He is jealous for us. He desires our love, our worship, our time. He desires not because He has some lack but because, simply put, He is LOVE. And OH how He loves us!! May the Spirit work into us and through us just an ounce of that wonderful Calvary love and bind us to God's heart in a deep and personal relationship. He truly is our portion forever. And once His portion is felt we will have that much more to share in the community of believers. Solo time is so very important. Boyd is right, it is impossible to enter in to relationships that reflect the love of the triune community unless we ourselves are getting our Life from God. We must examine our relationship with God and if there is a lack it is now our first order of business. If we want to help a friend, or be a friend, build up the Body of Christ, or live in community, we must start by getting alone with -- and in love with --the Father and Creator of or Hearts and Jesus Christ, His son.