In Touch Daily Devotional
A Relationship With God
The Lord wants you to discover the freedom, satisfaction, and joy found through a relationship with Him.
December 20, 2024
1 John 4:7-10
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Intimate relationships are characterized by a close connection with another person and a commitment to his or her well-being. Acquaintances have superficial information about us, but true friends know our deeper emotions, thoughts, and desires—and God wants to have this kind of relationship with us.
However, human sinfulness made that seem impossible. We all were born with an inherited sin nature (Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--) and have rebelled against God’s perfect authority (Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,; Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.) Neither good works nor moral values can overcome the problem. Thankfully, God’s solution is to change our nature so we can be a part of His family. However, divine justice must still be satisfied, and only a perfect sacrifice can pay for our sins (Deuteronomy 17:1 ``You shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep which has a blemish or any defect, for that is a detestable thing to the LORD your God.) Throughout history, only one qualified: Jesus, who gave His life so we could have a relationship with the Father.
The Father has done everything necessary for us to be in His family and experience intimacy with Him. Have you entered into a relationship with Him through the saving work of His Son? If not, make today your spiritual birthday by receiving Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. This Christmas season, discover the gifts of freedom, satisfaction, and joy that are found in Him.
