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By Mike Caton

John 8:42, Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me.”

What is your relationship with God? Think hard about this before you answer. In fact, think about this all day, really put some mental energy into this question. (And I am talking to myself as well.) Is God really your Father, and do you have the relationship with him that a good child has with a good father? Do you speak to him often, are you thankful for his care for you, are you proud of him, do you tell others about him, do you realize how much you need him? Or is God more like a bottle of aspirin? You want to keep him on the shelf; always available, there when you need him, but for the most part, you are just comfortable knowing he is there. Or is God more like a good idea? You believe he exists, and that he is a good person or force or something. But honestly, you won’t bother him is he doesn’t bother you.

Only one of those is a proper relationship with God. And if we have that proper relationship with God, we will have that kind of relationship with whoever or whatever God sends our way. God can change our attitude toward other people, toward the situations we find ourselves in, the sicknesses we experience, the hardships we face, the good times and the bad times. If our eyes are on God, all the rest of this life becomes secondary, and we realize that what is happening here is really not all that important. We realize that our future, our hope, our purpose is not tied to this world or anything in this world. Our hope is on and in God, our heavenly Father.

But this requires a renewing of our minds, a refocusing of our priorities, a reorganization of our lives. It is no longer about what we are doing or what we want or what we think is best. It is about trusting our God, it is about knowing, really knowing, that God is, always has been, and always will be, on the throne.

Father, thank you for you! In Jesus’ name, amen.

Mike Caton is the preacher at Mount Olive Church of Christ in Belhaven. He volunteers at the Ponzer Fire Department and works part time with Hyde County EMS. If you would like to receive daily devotions in your inbox, email mikecaton@centurylink.net.

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