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Any
thoughts? ... Tell us what you think here |
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Even
in today’s western culture relationships
are still seen as the most important things
in life yet they have a transient, disposability
that’s damaging and shatters lives.
ALOVE sifts through the pieces.
Thinking about relationships. It can be difficult
to shake the feeling that you have been here
before.
Read it. Heard it. Tediously reminded of it
on every billboard, every soap opera and every
pages of every magazine.
However, the profound connections we can experience
with those around us need to be intensely
respected.
There is little ambiguity in popular culture
where relationships are concerned: They are
disposable. If a relationship isn’t
working out, move on and break free. Experience
as much as life has to offer, don’t
become tied down and held back.
Against this backdrop how can faithfulness,
integrity, authenticity and partnership ever
begin to thrive? The irony of our culture
is that most people desire all of the above
attributes. With faithfulness, integrity,
authenticity and partnership is how we would
all like to be treated. But we want all the
benefits and none of the work.
It is with great pleasure that scripture announces
that humans are to be a social race (Genesis
2:18). The profound connections that we seek
are rooted in who we are. They are God-given.
Believers or not, to be in relationship with
other human beings is a core drive from our
DNA. It is a reflection of the nature of God
that we too are created to experience intimacy,
security, integrity and veracity.
The care and lovingness that God put into
our relationships is testament to both His
love for us and His expectation of our love
of one another. It almost goes without saying
that something so precious should be honed
and robustly nurtured, boundaries respected
so that we have true freedom.
The topic that gets most people hot under
the collar is sex. And there are a barrage
of indignant questions that keep surfacing:
Why wait? You need to know whether you are
compatible! There’s nothing wrong with
sex, etc.
Physical connection is God ordained (Genesis
1:28). It is as profound as it can be intimate.
And so it is jealousy protected within unique
bonds of marriage (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6;
Mark 10:7-8; Ephesians 5:31).
The compatibility issue can turn out to be
a poorly veiled insurance policy. In it’s
basic form it can mean, if you don’t
live up to my expectations I will leave you
and move on. The support will last for only
as long as I want it too and; this may not
be for the rest of my life and we may grow
apart anyway.
How different this is to a relationship described
by scripture. Prefer one another, love and
submit to each other says Ephesians 5:21-25.
Grow with, and encourage each other as life
develops and changes. Nurture and forgive
each other. Know security from your soul mate
and friend. Battle through the difficulties
that the world throws at you and together
pursue God and His love for the both of you.
Experience the ultimate meaning of life in
worship to the awesome creator and together
and understanding the authenticity of what
it will mean to be one flesh.
In this kind of view of relationship and love
the emphasis shifts so that if something hasn’t
worked out the way you had imagined it, you
want to work together to improve the relationship.
This can be possible because the two people
have a stronger unity from the outset: Jesus.
When connections are seen like this, others
acknowledge the resonance and the passion
for a life lived with meaning.
God’s love is universal; His love knows
no bounds, no matter where you are at in your
connections with others. All creation has
fallen (Romans 3:23) and his love remains
constant towards us. So whatever our present
situation we always have the option of changing
course and aligning our lives to his (John
3:16).
Transform the relationships you have (be it
with you parents, siblings, boyfriend, wife,
boss) into an authentic, significant desire
for depth and holiness. Allow God to nurture
in you a hunger for life long intensity and
power to prefer each other with honesty and
integrity and keep focused on the originator
and fulfiller of our deepest connections. |
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Youthwork -
The Partnership ...
ALOVE,
Youthwork Magazine, Youth For Christ, Spring Harvest and
Oasis are working together to equip and resource the Church
for effective youth work and ministry. |
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