Embracing the Fullness of Your Calling in ChristSample

Relationship: Sons and Daughters “He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.” Ephesians 1:4-5 (ESV) God desires a relationship with you. He gave His Son to redeem us from the curse caused by sin so our right to eternal life — to know Him as Father could be restored. Knowing God as Father and being known by Him as sons and daughters is our first and highest calling. In this context, the word “know” means to be aware of, to have knowledge of, to perceive, to be able to speak of, to be sure of, to be intimately acquainted, and to understand. We come to know God as Father through intentionally cultivating a personal relationship with Him. We all begin our Christian walk, eager to know the Lord. As we continue to walk with Him, we get busy doing things for God, and those things often become a priority over our relationship with Him. God wants us to do things for Him from a position of knowing Him, sitting with Him in our heavenly place where His presence is, where we find joy and delight in Him, and He reveals His purpose for us and the path to fulfill His plan. Writing to the Philippian church, Paul said of everything he did for God before and after saying yes to God’s call to follow Christ, nothing compared to knowing the Lord. He gave up everything to know Jesus more. To know Jesus and make Him known was the objective of His life. He willingly let go of anything that did not align with his call to know Christ. What are you willing to give up to continue to know the Lord? Prayer: Lord, help me to seek willingly and intentionally to cultivate a closer relationship with you, regardless of what I must let go and leave behind for the sake of knowing you.