Inter-personal part 2
Relationship. The way we relate to each other. That, in large part, is what this life is all about. And here's the key: Our relationship with each other flows from our relationship with God. We have to have the one (with God) figured out before we can succeed in the other (with each other). And let me be as clear as I can with this--from God's perspective, the relationship IS figured out. Look at Romans 3:24 in the Message Bible, "God did it for us. Our of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ." As far as God is concerned... you are WHO you're supposed to be, and you are WHERE you're supposed to be. Remember we touched on that? Seated at the right hand of the Father? As Jesus is, so are we in this world. The beloved Son of our heavenly Father. God in the flesh. Love in a body. A man filled with the Holy Spirit. With the very Spirit of God. The Spirit of love. And that's how our relationships work--love. That's the foundation that we have to build on if we are going to see anything that we do succeed. Because loving people IS success. Loving people is the most (possibly the only) holy thing that we can do. Love is what God is concerned with. First, last, and always. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, right? The beginning and the end. And everything in between. And God is love. So LOVE is the beginning and the end, and everything in between. Relationships don't work unless they are built on love. That's my point. And you can't give what you don't have. You have to have love before you can give love. And, since love is giving, it's important to know that we have it. Not that we need it. Not that we can maybe possilby get it if we jump through all the right hoops in all the right ways. But that we have it. On the cross Jesus did everything that was necessary to put us right with God. We were conformed to the image of God's beloved Son. Made in His image in the beginning, but unable to see who we were--who HE is--until the light of the world shined and showed us the ultimate truth of the universe: That God is love and He loves you. God has filled us up with love. Equipped and empowered us to be able to love Him back by loving each other. He did it for us. Out of sheer generosity. Put us in right standing with Himself. Settled that relationship once and for all. So, unlike Adam and Eve who hid from the presence of God when they thought He was mad at them... we can run TO God instead of running FROM Him. We can let Him hide us under His wings. We can let Him lead us, guide us, direct us, and protect us. We can let HIM fill us up to overflowing with what HE has already filled us with. We can let what we are full of come out. Naturally. And in that way we can connect with each other. We can build those relationships on the strong foundation of love that will stand forever. The foundation that will last. And because of the way God loves us (unconditionally) we can love each other that same way! We can love each other no matter what. We can buld those inter-personal relationships and make them strong and long-lasting. We can enjoy this life by living with (loving!) each other!