Goals

Hey guys. I had an interesting conversation with a very special friend of mine last night. We love to talk about God and his holiness. I know from experience that his mercies truly are new everyday. We got to talking about the summer. I asked her what her goal was for her relationship with Christ this summer. Though I will not share it, her answer was great. It struck me, though, that I had asked her that question. I hadn't taken the time to consider what my goals were. I know this summer is going to be great. God has called me to several ministries, and I can feel Him pulling at the strings of my heart already. I thought for a minute when she returned the question. What is my goal for my relationship with Christ? Well, to begin, I want to be able to look back at the end of the summer to the man I am today and not even recognize who that person was. I'm not saying I'm a bad guy. I was born in sin, and redeemed by Jesus' precious blood spilled on the cross. What I mean is, I want to be "soaring with Christ!", as my friend put it. I want to be at a place in my walk with the Father that consistency is no longer a problem. I will not think twice about getting up a little early to start my day off in His Word. Guys, that is the way you grow closer to Him. I've struggled recently with the issue of relationships. I long for the beauty to rescue and look forward to a future with a Godly woman. I get to learn new ways, everyday, to show her that she is pursued and loved. I'm the hopeless romantic because God made me that way. How well, though, can we pursue our earthly partners if we have not learned how to pursue Christ? Is it not meaningless without such a foundation. As Ben Stuart of Breakaway Ministries said in his message last night, God wants to be our cornerstone. Though he used it in a different reference, I thought about relationships in that moment and how God needs to be the cornerstone in that aspect of our lives as much or more than any other. For Him to be our cornerstone, we must have a strong relationship with Him. I am growing steadily in Him, and it's been amazing the past few months. But, I'm not in the least bit complacent. I know I'm nowhere near where I need to be with Him. I need to truly see how He is pursuing me and learn to return that. It is my heart's cry. I want to be so transformed in Him that I don't recognize who I am today. I need to be more consistent, compassionate, loving, patient, and I need a pure heart that yearns to share my Great Love with everyone I come in contact with. (For more on that, listen to Tears of the Saints by Leeland!) There's more to this story, more details which I have not the time to convey. But, this is the core of the message: What is your goal in your relationship with Christ in a month, two months, the summer? Goals need to be set in everything we do in life. Our relationship with Christ is definitely no exception. Think about it!