There were several elementary schools in my hometown but I went to the best: Raymond School. I was friends with anybody and everybody in my year at that school. Most of us who went to Raymond Elementary moved up to the junior high across the street: North Junior High School. There was only one high school in my town. Therefore, everyone who went to Raymond and who went to North went to Brockton High School. I literally grew up with these folks. There was one girl in my elementary school named Jessica. I shared all the same classes with her. I sat next to her many times in school. I worked with her on projects together. I even lived 2 blocks from her. If anybody asked me if I knew Jessica, I would certainly say yes. So I thought.
It wasn't until 7 years of "knowing" Jessica did I realize that I didn't know her at all. In middle school, seventh and eighth grade, I really began to befriend this girl. She wasn't just someone I saw in school and spoke with about homework. I began to talk to her on the phone, hang out with her around town and at her house, get to know her family and friends. I communed with her daily and truly began to know who she was. To this day, Jessica is my best friend. There isn't much anyone can tell me about her that I don't know. We went to college together, still communicate frequently, see each other often (even though we live hours apart now) and will probably end up being each other's god-mothers to our children lol. Knowing someone is more than just knowing their name, where they were born and their favorite color. It takes more than reading their bio and reiterating what you remember. A personal relationship with someone takes time, attention and a deep personal care. I believe that many people who profess to be Christians do not know Christ.
Recently, I've been reading a book called "Becoming a Prayer Warrior" by Elizabeth Alves.
She teaches all about prayer: how to pray, when to pray, what to say and how to hear God’s voice. Reading the text in the pages of that book simply amazed me. She spoke about the Lord as if He was a person plain as day in front of her face that she spoke with! She mentioned how He responds, secrets He shares with her, their favorite meeting time and meeting place. This woman truly has a real relationship with Christ! Those of us who grew up in a church and heard the same ol’ sermons week after week may profess to know Christ. But the same mundane ritualistic time with God is not helping in building a relationship. Just as I developed a true friendship with Jessica after 7 years of knowing her through spending time with her, coming to know the Lord and having a relationship with him requires the same just effort.
I encourage us all to escape from the mundane relationship with Christ consisting of facts and bible quotes and really dedicate ourselves to coming to know Him on a personal level in our lives. I’m grateful that the Lord kept Jessica in my life for so long. I found the Seventh-Day Adventist church through her and relied on her heavily for spiritual guidance when I first became a Christian. Jesus is always in our lives and is longing to become closer to us today. Pray that the Lord draw you near to Him and then take action. In moments of silence in your life, commune with the Father. Dedicate a certain time of the day for just you and Him. Read His Word and meditate on it to receive a word from the Holy Spirit about its meaning. Put your best foot forward in this relationship. In this day in age, what you know will take you nowhere. But who you know will make all the difference in your life.
Blessings
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