Relationships Restore Hope

DAY EIGHTTEEN: Saturday, November 1, 2008

Read 1 Corinthians 16

"I hope to spend some time with you." 1 Corinthians 16:7b (NIV)


David Bruce, host of the web site HollywoodJesus.com, a church leader and author with a love of church and film says, "The top 100 films of all time have just one thing in common. They are all about relationship. The same is true of pop music, country and western, novels, and television shows. People respond to relationships. It's what we seek most.

"The church can furnish positive and caring relationships and help people come to a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. In fact that is what the church is all about. Instead of throwing rocks at the culture, as the church often does, it needs to build a bridge to a hurting world in need of a healing relationship with God." ("Radical Reformission" by Mark Driscoll, page 43.)

One of the keys to the missional success of the Apostle Paul was his huge emphasis on relationships. It shines clearly here in the closing words of his first letter to the Church at Corinth. He hoped to spend time with them, buse as he was. In this chapter you can also see that he had friends everywhere in the Roman Empire because he placed such great emphasis on relationships.

Paul caught this from God. God knows that when we aren't isolated our hope grows from being around others, spending time with them.

Action step for today: Spend some time with someone with the intent of growing your relationship.