Your Relationship Status.....

....won't affect where you spent eternity. At least that what I was thinking as I dealt with the lunch dishes the other day.

All these people, wanting, thinking, hoping, sometimes even praying for their special 'other'. My 14 yr old friend basically spoke for the world when, the other day she said wistfully, "I wish I had a boyfriend!"

Today there is a craze about 'Oh no! I'm single, I'm gonna die!" Girls wishing they had a guy that really loved them. Would never cheat on them. Always be there for them. Comfort them. Build them up. And, of course, fix up their relationship status.

It's not socially 'cool' to be single.

I have to admit, I was feeling a little self-righteous as I was thinking about it. "I'm going to wait until I'm old enough to get married before I start worrying about that..." I thought. "And really, your single years are when you can accomplish the most... it's the time when you can focus on glorifying God..
I think what people don't realize, is that your relationship status won't affect where you spent eternity." I smiled to myself. Why don't people just "get" it? 

Anyways, I was feeling quite good, when it suddenly hit me. I had it wrong. Not everything.. But our relationship status does affect where we will spend eternity. Our relationship with God. If I haven't got a boyfriend, that's fine. That won't affect anything, but if we haven't a relationship with God, we aren't going to heaven! Simple as that.

Put it this way, say you're planning a birthday party. But first, let's back up a bit.
Imagine you've got this rival. She's a nasty person. Absolutely everything she does, is to cause you pain. She can't hurt you physically, so her plan is to steal all your friends that she possibly can. And mind you, once she's stolen your friends, they're not the same. 'Cause they've completely changed. They don't like you anymore. Actually, wait. Some even hate you. Some of the ones that had even been your best friends before! Some say you don't exist. You're a mere story. Yet they knew you before. They shared such special moments with you. Memories to treasure. You wonder what happened.... You even try to win them back! Some do return, but most don't.

Now back to your birthday party. You're a kind hearted, benevolent person. So even though they've rejected you, you've sent out invitations to them. A few have accepted, and is working on a friendship with you, so that when they come, they and you, can enjoy the time spent together. But then some ignored the invitation. Some down-right rejected it! Some came and told you off for even inviting them. Some said that you weren't a good person, there's no way they want to come to your party!

Now, say you're doing your party in a different way. This way, you go collect your friends and bring them to the party. Would you go out, to those people who you tried so hard to be friendly to, put yourself on the line for, but who rejected you and your invitation? Those people who now hate you. Who have become best friends with this evil girl whose only plan is to destroy. Would you bring them in? Or would you bring in your faithful friends? Sure, they might've hurt you before. But they were really and truly sorry. They made up for it the best they could. Reconciled with you. Not only your faithful friends, but the friends who are new friends. Who used to do things to hurt you, but are now truly sorry. Sure you would!

Ah, but I hear some say, "But I would be the good Samaritan, and bring the ones who rejected me in for my party anyway! Then they'd see how good and nice I was, even though they were so mean."
Wait. They hate you now. The ones that don't know you, well they're going to side with the others, as they do know them. Or at least their leader. And since their leader is such a spiteful, destructive person, do you think her followers are going to be less? Do think they are going to restrain from doing to you, someone they now hate, what they were doing even to each other, people they didn't hate? Don't you think they will ruin your party?

And that, my friend, is how it is with us and God. That is why we need to have a relationship with Him. It really does affect where we spent eternity. Btw, just because you have a relationship with someone, it doesn't mean you can just hurt them, continue hurting them, and expect to remain on best terms with them. No. That's when the enemy, that usurper girl will come and get you. When you fall, you've got to get right up, and keep going. Otherwise the enemy will come, sweet talk you into joining her. She's so subtle, you won't even realize it. Until it could be too late.
My dear friends, every time we sin, we hurt God. Every time we sin, we fall down. And it is then that Satan gains the victory. When we don't get up and keep moving. When we fail to keep our eyes on Jesus. We lose the crown of salvation. The enemy spits on our Lords face, jeering as he says, "Look at your child. Another one. Mine."

God is everything we long for. Father, Comforter, Lover, Builder, Faithful... Come on, He sent His Son to die on the cross, because He so loved us. And He did it, before we loved Him.

Come. Join me. Let us cultivate a relationship with God. Dig into His Word. Learn of Him. Join hands with Him. That when the end comes, we made be found faithful. Ready and waiting.