Desperately Pursuing Christ
09 December 2024
ENCOURAGE
Affirmation: "My hope is in Christ alone."
In the fall of 2022, the Institute of Family Studies and the Wheatley Institute conducted a survey called "The Date Night Opportunity." This survey was dispersed to 2,000 married men and women ages 18-55 and the goal was to gauge how the frequency of having date nights/dating your spouse impacted the quality of a marriage. The main findings were that spouses who reported having frequent date nights were found to be much happier in their communication, intimacy, and overall marriage compared to the couples who had little to no date nights. Additionally, the couples who date one another reported to be highly committed to their relationship with a low likelihood of divorce. Here's a quote from the co-authors of the report on why date nights have such a profound impact on the quality of a marriage:
"Date nights may solidify an expectation of commitment among couples by fostering a sense of togetherness, by allowing partners to signal to one another—as well as friends and family—that they take their relationship seriously, and by furnishing them with opportunities to spend time with one another, to communicate, and to enjoy fun activities together."
So, what does this have to do with Jesus?
As the Bride of Christ, we should be in constant pursuit of Jesus. When you became born again, you committed yourself to a covenant of marriage between yourself and God. Once you've confessed with your mouth and believed in your heart that Jesus is Lord, you've entered into a life long relationship that needs to be maintained, sustained, and experience growth.
Growing in intimacy, knowledge, understanding, connection, and ultimately in love with God, requires us to continue "dating" Him. As His bride, our love for Him should push us to continue getting to know Him and find meaningful ways to connect with Him in order to show our commitment, desire for intimacy, and devotion to Him. It's so easy in this life to get into a routine and let the fire on our altars burn out. However, when we make the conscious effort to spend time with Him, worship Him, study His word, get in the secret place, hold space for Him, and put Him above all else, we stock up oil to keep the fire in our lamps burning for Him.
In any good relationship, it's rare you have to beg the other person to spend time with you. So, why does God constantly have to beg for our attention? Why should He have to compete with all these things that pale in comparison to Him and His love?
When you understand what Christ endured for us to have eternal life, that becomes motivation to be in desperate pursuit of Jesus. The Cambridge Dictionary defines "desperate" as a feeling that you have no hope and are ready to do anything to change the bad situation you are in. The truth is, without Christ, who is the hope of glory, we're in a pretty horrible situation because that means we are headed for destruction--both in this life and in the one to come.
My friend, I need to tell you that the level of your desperation for Christ will determine the level of your transformation in Him. Once we're born again, of course we are new beings, however we must submit to being renewed, sanctified, and perfected in Him... and that can only happen as we continue to trust in the finished work of the cross and pursue Him, desperately. If you're putting your hope in anything else, I'm letting you know now that those things will never satisfy your soul, nor will it satisfy the Father. If we want to live transformed lives on earth and one day be in the Father's House, He tells us there is only one way: Jesus. His sacrifice has saved us from eternal separation from the Father, Hell, and the wrath of God, and that makes Him OUR ONLY HOPE.
I encourage you to remain vigilant in your pursuit of Jesus. Don't settle for familiar. Don't let your fire for Him fizzle. He is your Husband and your Maker (Isaiah 54:5), don't let your marriage die out.
EQUIP
Meditation Scriptures:
John 14:6
Colossians 1:19-28
Ephesians 5:22-33 (Christ and the Church)
2 Corinthians 11:2
BUILD
Call to Action: Have a date with Jesus!
Date Ideas:
Write a song, poem, or love letter to Jesus and present it to Him in your alone time.
Go out to eat or prepare a meal and listen to a sermon.
Have a worship night or morning.
Watch a Christian film (i.e. Passion of the Christ, Prince of Egypt) and read about the film topics in the Bible.
Draw or paint something related to your faith journey.
Color and worship music.
Extended prayer time (increase your normal prayer time by 15-60 minutes)
If you decide to have a date with Jesus I'd love to hear what you did and what your experience was! Please email me! <3
