RELATIONSHIP

(Counting the Cost of Relationship & the price we have to pay for relationship)
Rom 4:13; Rom 5:11; Phil 2:5ff.

Four months back, i.e., April, 2019; my brother in-law got married. We were expected to witness this special occasion for it was going to be a momentous occasion for the entire family. But the problem that we did not want to share with others from our side was ‘we did not have sufficient money to manage ourselves’. Managing family trip is too expensive, especially for people who came from the southern part of Mizoram. Because we need to spend more money after reaching Aizawl, more than the amount we have already spent for flight ticket only to reach Aizawl, capital city of Mizoram.

But by having known all our problems, our relatives from different part of Mizoram, have sent financial help to us; then in short; all together, the total amount of financial help spent by our relatives, during our stay, became more than a lakh of rupees.

Our presence was highly felt needed by the bridegroom. But the expense only for our family, before and after marriage was so high; because, after the marriage was over, we moved from village to town, town to village from time to time to visit our relatives. So they have to provide every possible way in order that, we also could manage ourselves.

During this time, one question that has come to my mind was – what was the reason, why they did so? What was the motivating factor, to let them do all these things? The answer is – only because of a relationship that tied us together, which has been established between us.

This illustration is being shared with you only to help you recollect your own experiences that you have come across which are more noticeable and perhaps would become grater experiences then us.

According to Financeonline.com, the top 3 most expensive weddings in history are;
1.    Prince Charles & Dina -  $110 million
2.    Vanisha Mittal & Amit Bhatia – $66 million
3.    Prince William & Kate Middleton – $34 million
I have recollected these three stories only to remind us how much money is being spent to make a relationship bond between individual people.

In addition, besides what have been mentioned; we also can recollect Taj Mahal, one of the greatest and magnificent piece of architecture constructed by Sah Jehan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, Taylor’s Diamond, given by her husband Richard Burton for her 40th birthday which is estimated to have cost around $1,050,000; The $85 million worth Yacht, given by Anil Ambani to his beloved wife Tina; the Gift of the 19th floor of Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, given by Rajkundra to his wife Shilpa Shetty, and The Statue of Liberty, 305 foot-tall, designed by F.A Bartholdi which is regarded as a universal symbol of freedom and democracy, it was a gift of friendship given to the US in 1884 from France.

You also might have known the dog name Hachiko and his master Japanese professor. At the end of every working day, Hachiko would greet his master at Shibuya station and the pair would walk home together. One day in 1925, the man suffered a brain haemorrhage and died. Hachiko (dog) didn't understand what had happened and waited for his master to return. For nine years, every day, without fail, the dog waited his master at that train station.

Lastly, Jack, who is only 23 years old suffered a heart-attack due to a viral infection and was told by doctors that a heart transplant was the only way possible to save his life. In the meantime, Bill’s daughter ‘Abbey’ died of traumatic brain injury at the age of 20. She was a registered donor from the age of 17. Following her death, Bill, her father cycled more than 1,400 miles to spread the awareness of organ donation. It was during one of his rides that he met 23-year-old Jack, the man who received an Abbey’s heart. So, as he hears the heartbeat of her daughter, Bill emotionally has set tears before people who were there around him.

There’s nothing new for us, because all these stories recollected are the well-known incidents happened to these people. However, all the stories mentioned, as I belief, will reflect how much cost is the relationship in one way or the other. And it will also help us recollect the greatest gift of God through Jesus Christ for the renewal and to heal our broken relationship between God and human.

In Rom 5:12, Paul says, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all, because all have sinned.”
Because of sin committed by one man, human conditions before God have often been portrayed in various ways;
-    He drove out the man from the garden of Eden (Gen 3:24)
-    They have become hostile to God
-    They have become unrighteous and worthless (Rom 3:10&12)
-    They have become fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23)
-    They have become enemies of God (Rom 5:10)
-    Death exercise dominion over all men (Rom 5:17) they are spiritually death, as a result, they no longer can do anything with the living God and are being cut off from the living God.

This is what we called it, in one phrase ‘a broken relationship', which has anything to do with God, which is becoming powerless, incapable, helpless, weak, ineffective, and feeble in his/her own nature. This is, indeed, our previous condition before God.

But God, who is rich in mercy, and out of his great love, has taken up all responsibilities, and then initiated the greatest gift to a sinner in order that this broken relationship could be healed.
So, he gave his very own son, as a sacrificial offering to forgive our sin and to wipe away all our transgressions.
How much is the cost?  How much cost did, God has given to heal our broken relationship?
(According to Phi 2:5-8):
-    Though he is the son of God, He emptied himself
-    He took the form of a slave
-    He transforms himself in human likeness
-    And became obedient to the point of death

We may take it as ‘granted, simple and worthless', but behind the cost, there are immeasurable hidden efforts given by God to heal our relationship which  is so painful, so deep, so affluent, etc. No one can imagine, it is beyond human imagination, beyond human comprehension.

Because of the price given by God, we became healed, we are accepted, we are no longer enemies of God, we have life, and we are given the citizens of the kingdom of God. In spite of all our weaknesses and all our limitations, God, who is above all, could accepted us by healing our broken relationship in order that a worthless would be counted as worthiness, a hostile would also embrace God without blemish.

This relation is the striking point that enables a person to serve God. We might have highly educational qualifications, we also may acquire countless of knowledge and wisdom, but depending on the relationship we built with God, we will be judged by others. People will make their own judgement on us base on the relationship we have with God.

Being a human, and as we come across so many circumstances in or daily lives, we sometimes faced difficult situations, complain, failure, discontent, backlash, backsliding, and many more. Therefore, one of the best ways out possible from these kinds of problems is to recheck our relationship between God and us.

This is also to be considered as the best warehouse that signal our network through which we may get immediate relief, help and every supply for our lives, let us take heed of it. If our relationship with God becomes strong and healthy; our God who is full of grace, who cares, and who always keeps his eyes towards his people will always be ready to provide all our needs.

Therefore, to suggest the best ways for re-examination for our relationship with God; of course, one can suggest a number of good points, but these are believed to be more significant than another for our spiritual well-being;
-    Check your loyalty to God.
-    Consecrate/dedicate yourself only for God
-    Always put God at the center.

A relationship that is built between husband and wife is one of the best illustrations from where we can get appropriate reflections.

Some of us may suggest ‘Sex between man and woman', as one of the best significant factors that build a strong relationship between husband and wife, between man and woman. But, it is not. Of course, sex has an enormous contribution to building up the relationship between individuals. But after old age, sex has nothing to do with a husband and wife.

Then, what makes the husband and wife to have a strong bound/relationship till they both die? And in a contrary direction; we also can ask this question, what makes the husband and wife separate from one another? Immediately, our minds may strike with these few answers; Extra marital relationship, Sex outside marriage, unhealthy affairs with others, etc. And above all, other components behind these three answers are – unfaithfulness, carelessness, betrayal, disloyalty.

These are the same factors that often break the relationship, and that create unhealthy relationship between God and human.

Therefore, friends; let us recheck our loyalty to God, let us dedicate ourselves only to God and his causes, and always put God at the central. These are the price to give that we all can do.
Our relationship with God is in fact, like a mechanism through which we can get strength, help, and all our supplies for our spiritual life.

Lastly, let us be reminded with these few sentences…
Relationship; Heals, waits, gives the right answer, achieves great things, sets tears for happiness, breaks all kinds of barriers, enables or motivates people to do something…

If we expect something good from God, let us recheck/re-examine our relationship with God.