Someone I know and love deeply made a statement while in a desperate and chaotic time in his life. One of his challenges while getting his life back on track with God, was his relationship confusion with a special girl; it seems she might have been off and on with her side of the relationship. He had been praying and reading Scriptures concerning Jesus’ earthly life and had concluded that Jesus did not have relationship disappointments personally, so He could not help him in his struggle.
We were speaking on the phone about 85 miles apart, so the Holy Spirit brought many things to mind that would invalidate his conclusion about our God and relationships. I thought that perhaps others might benefit from the things the Spirit recalled. Jesus, LORD and God, as illustrated in the Scriptures, experienced many personal relationships that could be seen as disappointing due to the frailties and failures of man or out right rejection. Let me share a few examples:
The first humans created by God, Adam and Eve, enjoyed a relationship with God that fallen man can only imagine. Sin had not yet entered their life in the Garden which God had provided for them. God pursued a personal, love relationship with Adam and Eve. All their every need was provided for them. All God’s other living creatures were covered and protected by fur, feathers, scales, or shells while Adam and Eve were naked. According to Psalm 8:5, they were covered, surrounded by the brilliance of the glory of God; He was their protector; He was their warmth.
God had given them only one rule, warning, or command, that of being to never eat of the fruit on one tree amid the Garden. The fallen Angel, Lucifer, the evil one, Satan, the devil, appeared in the Garden to cause a disruption between God and man. By deception by the evil one appearing as the beautiful and intriguing Serpent, Adam and Eve chose to eat the forbidden fruit. This act of breaking the one rule God had given led to the fall of man and must have been deeply disappointing to God, given His desire to have a perfect relationship with them. “Adam, where are you?”
Moving along in man’s history, we are introduced to God’s chosen people, which were brought about through God’s relationship with the man of God’s choosing, Abraham—the Israelites.
All through the Old Testament, beginning after the Israelites were freed from 400 years of slavery in Egypt, they continually veered away from God, to worship false gods and break their covenant with Him. Regardless of God’s leadership and supply, their rebellion and disbelief were continuing founts of disapproval.
Moving to the New Testament, after the incarnation of the Son of God, the Messiah Jesus, as He grew to the time of His earthly ministry, the Father instructed Jesus to call twelve predetermined men to be His personal disciples. One of the twelve was the man called Judas Iscariot. In the family of disciples, Judas was given the responsibility of the money bag for the group. There were several examples or statements that revealed that Judas was somewhat enchanted by money. During the last week of our LORD’S life, Judas betrayed Him for thirty pieces of silver. This act of disloyalty, especially from one so close, was an extreme and personal disappointment, though it was predetermined by God to be thusly.
Another of Jesus’ disciples, one who was allowed to be in the inner circle of close disciples, was the man called Simon, later to be called Peter by Jesus. In a quiet conversation with Peter, Jesus informed him that Satan would shake his world resulting in Peter’s refusing to be identified as one of Jesus’ followers. Soon after Jesus’ arrest and during His trial, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times. In the face of Peter’s earlier bragging of being willing to die for Jesus, his fear and failure in that early morning were likely discouraging to Jesus.
The Pharisees and Religious Rulers in Jerusalem rejected Jesus’ teachings out of fear and accused Him of blasphemy. Their rejection of acknowledging Him as the Messiah and their antagonism toward Him, leading finally to His arrest, were significant interpersonal challenges.
The uniqueness of Jesus’ teaching, the spreading His message of love, and performing many miracles of healings and freeing several from demonic possessions, caused multitudes to gather near to Him whenever He was nearby. Despite all the good things that He did and said, many people doubted Jesus and turned away from Him. On the Day we call Palm Sunday, or more specifically, His Triumphant Entry, multitudes welcomed Him as He entered Jerusalem with praise and worship, placing Palm branches and garments on the ground before Him as He rode a young donkey. This same crowd that welcomed Him at the first of the week, were later crying, “Crucify Him!”
These are just some examples that underscore the extent of God’s love and perseverance, as He continues to pursue deep personal relationships with man despite repeated disappointments. Does our LORD understand relationship challenges? Yes. Yes, He does. However, all relationships are at least two sides. We all have this gift called freewill. Each relationship requires the willingness to agree and work to grow deep feelings to one another. Even God chooses to not interfere with our choices. The best we can do is to pray for each other to develop a soft heart and respect toward one another. Yes, prayer, in God’s will, works. Pray On!
