A personal Relationship with God

   

  
Is it Possible to have a personal relationship 

  with God?  

Karim lies on his back under the palm trees staring up into the pale blue sky.  Somewhere in the vast remoteness of the heavens must be a God who created man.  But He is far and unreachable.  Does He ever care about his creation?  He thinks about the emptiness in his own heart, the longing for something that cannot be satisfied with friends, family, women or possessions.  Slowly he gets up.  His friend Abou seems to be at peace with himself and with life.  Abou says he knows God.  Is it possible?  He will go to Abou and find out more about God. 

He finds Abou in the back yard of his home drying cloves.  A sweet aroma hangs in the air.

“Welcome Karim.”  Abou greets his friend warmly.  “Are you coming for a visit or do you have something else on your mind.”  Abou notices the solemn expression in Karim’s eyes.  “Shall we go in and have some cool coconut water?”  Abou leads the way to the house and they sit down at the table.

“I was thinking about God these days,” confesses Karim.  “I believe in Him, but He does not seem to care about  me. I try my best to get His attention - I pray, I fast and I give alms.  I believe in angels, I believe in the prophets and I know there is going to be a day of judgement and here lies my problem.  What is going to happen after death?  Do you think one can ever satisfy God?  You always say you know Him personally.  How is it possible?”

Abou pours them each a glass of coconut water before he starts to speak.

“I can understand that you have so many questions about God,” Abou sounds sympathetic.  “These are exactly the questions I had before I met God personally.”

“What do you mean by personally?” Karim asks confused.

“The same way you and I know each other,” answers Abou.  “I can talk to God like I talk to you, I have reverence and respect for Him because He is my Creator, but He is also my Father and my Friend. He knows everything about me, and what is more, I know He loves me. I love Him too, because He has forgiven my sins and He has accepted me as His child.”

 “How can you say all that?  It is totally impossible to come in close contact with God the Almighty,” Karim says doubtfully.

“The biggest problem that causes us to be separated from God is our sins,” explains Abou.

“I know that.  I try my utmost best not to sin.  I do everything I know I should do.  If I could I would go on a pilgrimage, but I do not have the money.  But perhaps if God gives me a long life, I will do less sinful things when I am older and then God will pardon me.”

“And if you do not live up to old age?  Say for instance you die in a car crash when you are still young?” Abou asks.

Karim pulls up his shoulders.  He has a sad expression on his face as he continues:  “God will most probably just send me to hell.  So you see I will never be able to please God.”

Abou is quiet for a while then he says: “Karim, tell me.  What if there is a way that all your sins, all the cheating and lying and stealing and deception and everything you can think of from childhood right through your life up to today, can be cancelled at once like a large debt that somebody pays for you.  Will you like that?”

Karim looks at Abou with wide eyes: “Of course I will like that.”

“I can tell you today that it is possible.  This is exactly what Jesus did.  He came to pay our debts of sin for us so that we can have a clean slate.”

“Jesus?  He was just a prophet.  How can he make us free from sin?”

“Jesus was more than a prophet, Karim.” 

Abou continues to explain.  “Consider what history as well as the world knows about Him:  Nobody, other than Jesus could give man assurance of salvation.  The Word of God says:  There is no salvation by anyone else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved.1  Jesus Christ cannot be described as just another good messenger of God.  Jesus was sent from God because God loves us and wants us reconciled to Him.  The Word of God says: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.2    Jesus is the Son of God.3   All the other prophets were just human beings.  Jesus knew what is inside people’s hearts.4  Nobody ever spoke as He did.  He is our advocate with the Father.5

“Jesus warned that all who will take the sword will  perish by the sword.6 Jesus taught forgiveness, not revenge - to turn the other cheek if someone strikes you on the one.7  He taught His followers to pray for their enemies.8  By His life Jesus was the perfect example.  Jesus was the only one, ever, who could declare that He was without sin.9 Jesus performed miracles.  He healed the blind and the sick.  He called people to come to Him.10  Jesus respected women and taught that a man should have only one wife.11  People were free to accept Jesus’ message or reject it, He never forced anybody to follow Him.12  Jesus doesn’t simply order us to do good;  He changes our hearts so that we love doing good.”

Karim is deeply touched.  “What you say, Abou, helps me to understand who Jesus is.  He really is completely different from any other prophet.  But knowing all this does not help me come closer to God.”

“If you understand who Jesus is, you are half way there,” assures Abou.  “You say you can not live up to God’s standards.  None of us can.  The Word of God says:  ‘The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.’13 We deserve death, but Jesus took our burden of sin.  He paid the price for our sins by giving His life, by dying in our place on the cross.  He became a criminal for us, so that we can be pardoned.  He took our deceit, our lies, our deception, our uncleanness, every sin we ever did, on Himself, and He took God’s punishment for us.  If you are willing to accept this offer of cancellation of debt, the blood He shed on the cross will cleanse you and give you a new life.”

“How do I do it?” Karim asks.

Abou keeps on explaining:  “You have to confess your sins to God.  Confession means you agree with God that you are a sinner and deserve to be punished and that you need forgiveness.”

“How long does it take for Him to forgive me - a month, a year or longer?”

“The moment you confess, He forgives.  And the moment you accept Him as your Saviour, you become God’s child.”

“This is too good to be true.  How do I know that He has accepted me?” Karim asks.

“The Word of God says: All that the Father gives me will come to me; and him who comes to me I will not cast out.”14 

“What happens if I sin again?” Karim looks worried.

“Every time you sin, you confess and ask God’s forgiveness. Let’s be realistic, Karim.  The devil, does not want you to follow Jesus.  You will be involved in a heavy spiritual battle, but you need not be afraid or become discouraged.  Jesus will be with you all the way because His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness.15

“Sometimes your heart will entice you to go back to your old ways and some of your friends will call you an infidel. You may even be persecuted and discriminated against, but this happened to Jesus as well.  He said:  You will be hated by all for my name’s sake.  But he who endures to the end will be saved.16 The Word of God says  the life of a child of God is like a race  we  run:  Therefore let  us also lay  aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus  the pioneer and perfecter of our faith...”17 

“Will I feel differently after I have become a follower of Jesus?”  Karim wants to know.

“Your relationship with God does not depend on how you feel.  Your relationship is guaranteed by His unfailing Word.  When you have accepted Him, you will be His child.  If you believe in Him you have eternal life.  God’s Word says: To all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; and He who believes in the Son has eternal life.18 

“Do you think I will be able to continue being a follower of Jesus?” Karim asks sincerely.

“You must thoroughly repent of your old ways, Karim,” explains Abou. “Repentance means you take a firm decision to change. You leave the sins of the past.  Jesus must become the owner of your life.  He will help you and be with you always.  By praying and studying God’s Word you draw power from Him and you grow  from a  baby believer into a mature follower of Jesus.  As you grow to be more like Jesus, the world and its pleasures will loose their attraction until God’s Holy Spirit fills your very being.”

“How many times must I pray during a day?”

“You can talk to God all the time, still I suggest you set aside some time during the day to read the Word of  God and  pray, preferably in the early morning when you feel fresh.”

“What must I pray about?” Karim asks.

“When you have a problem or a difficult decision to make, you ask Him to help you.  You spend time in praising and worshiping God and as you read the Word, God reveals truth to you, then you ask God to help you apply the truth to your life.  You must come to me every day and we will study God’s Word together.  And then the two of us will meat regularly with other believers who love Jesus.  What do you think, Karim?  Since we have discussed all this, do you think you want to be a follower of Jesus?”  

“It is not going to be easy, is it?”  Karim says.

“Yes, you are right.  It is not going to be easy, therefore you have to think it through thoroughly and consider the cost before you take the decision. You do not want to start running this race and then fall out along the way, do you?”  Then Abou smiles and his eyes shine bright as he says: “It is all worthwhile, Karim.  There is nothing like being in contact with the living God, our Creator. There is nothing like being forgiven. There is nothing that compares to assurance of salvation.”

 Karim remains quiet for a long time then he says: “Abou, to tell you the truth, I cannot wait to have my sins forgiven and know God the way you know Him.  What must I do?”

“You can pray like this: ‘Lord Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner.  I need to be saved from my sins.  I believe you died in my place on the cross.   I am sorry for my sins.  Please forgive me and   wash me clean with your blood.  I want to be forgiven for all the wrong things I have done since my childhood.  I accept you as my Saviour.  Please come into my Life and be my Saviour and King.  I hand my life over to you.  I want to be your follower.  Please fill me with your Holy Spirit.  Amen’.” 

                   

 1Acts 4:12;  2John 3:16;    3John10:36;  4Revelation 2:23;  51 John 2:1;  6Matthew 26:52;  7Matthew 5:38,39;  8Matthew 5:44;  9John 8:46, 1 Peter: 2:22;  10Matthew 11:28-30;  11Matthew 19:5,6;  12Luke 10:10,11;  13Romans 6:23;  14John 6:37  152Peter 1:3;  16Mark 13:13;  17Hebrews 12:12;  18John 1:12-14, John 3:36.