On the Journey Devotional
In The Divine Conspiracy, Dallas Willard talks about “prayerful, loving community” and how important it is for us to have Christ at the centre of all of our relationships. He says, “…the most direct way to others is always through prayer to Christ and that love of others is wholly dependent upon the truth in Christ.” When we try to isolate our relationships with other people from our relationship with Jesus, we inevitably fail to truly love those around us. When our identity is solidly rooted in Christ, we will naturally flow out of that connection with Jesus because that is who we are.
Instead of trying to compartmentalize our relationships – treating some as opportunities to share the gospel while leaving others untouched – we need to let all of them flow naturally from who Jesus is. I remember several years ago when my brother was not following Jesus and was adamant that the Bible wasn’t true, I spent so much time trying to convince him. I offered him
countless logical and biblical arguments for the truth of Scripture, but nothing seemed to get through. He was like a brick wall and I was often frustrated and discouraged after talking to him. One day, when we were talking, he said something that impacted me greatly and forever changed how I approach sharing my faith with people.
He said, “if God is who you say He is, He will show Himself to me.”
That hit me like a gut punch. So simple, but such a profound truth. From that day on, I decided to let God be God and rest in who He is rather than my own knowledge and words. A beautiful thing happened, God revealed Himself to my brother in miraculous ways and my brother came to Jesus!
Only God was able to get through to me when I was lost in my sin. The same goes for everyone else. When I try to make my voice the voice of truth they hear, I get in the way of the voice of the Holy Spirit. The beautiful thing is that God can speak not only through my words, but even more through my actions. When I am in tune with who I am in Christ, I am the most effective encourager and lover of people. When I am listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit and walking in obedience to Him, I am so much more effective in my love for others.
Willard says, “All the natural relationships of life – to family, classmates, co-workers, neighbours, and even to those in the political and artistic and intellectual realms – are very good in themselves, when taken rightly. They too are essential to life together in the
kingdom. There is no human spirituality apart from those relationships. We must seek our spirituality in them.”
In other words, our spiritual growth is inseparable from the relationships God places in our lives; the ordinary interactions of daily life are actually the very context in which we practice and experience God’s love. So much of the beauty and blessing in this life comes through our connections with others because God created us for community and connection. When we prioritize our prayerful connection with God first, our effectiveness in our connections with others multiplies.
When we live rooted in Christ and walk in step with the Holy Spirit, our words, actions, and relationships become channels of God’s love. It is in this place of trust and obedience that our interactions with others carry true meaning, and we see God at work through us in ways far greater than we could accomplish on our own.
Application:
● In which of your relationships do you feel most tempted to rely on your own words or efforts instead of trusting God to work?
● How could you intentionally let Christ be at the centre of those relationships this week?
● What is one concrete action you can take this week to let God’s love flow through you to someone else?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help me to live rooted in You, so that my words, actions, and relationships flow from Your love. Teach me to trust Your Spirit to guide me, and to rely on You rather than my own understanding. May my life be a channel of Your grace, and may the people around me experience Your presence through my words and deeds. Amen.
Pastor Jennifer Ahuja
Chief Administrative Officer
