The Sunday Mail
Pastor Tinashe Zinyemba
IN the book of Genesis 2 vs 18 God says, “ . . . It is not good that the man should be alone . . . ” This verse is used quite often in relation to marriage and I have often heard this verse in marriage sermons. In fact, I have used it often in my sermons. However, I’d like to present another perspective to this verse. Over the coming weeks we will use it as our anchor verse to establish a few things.
I am of the belief that this verse is not just speaking about marriage but rather it sets the tone on how we relate. What do I mean? I believe that when God said this He was basically saying that man is not made to be a loner, but that man is a relational being. He was made to be in relationships. For the coming weeks we are going to be looking at the various aspects of relationships and how you as a young person are supposed to engage in them. I will also give some biblical perspectives on relationships.
It is important to note that I am not just referring to boyfriend /girlfriend relations, I am talking about how we relate to our family members, parents, friends, peers, school mates, enemies, work mates and even more so to God. In Luke 2vs 52, the Bible declares that, “Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favour with God and man.”
This highlights that Christ not only focused on His human relationships but also on His relationship with God. The reverse is also true, Jesus did not focus all of His attention on His relationship with God but He also set time cultivating His relationships with the people around Him. It is important for us to have balance, particularly for Christians. We sometimes neglect God and focus so much on our friends and peers, and sometimes the reverse is also true.
Today I will touch briefly on our relationship with our heavenly Father. It is imperative that we cultivate this relationship. Did you know that your life is a mystery? The Psalmist in 139 vs15 says, “My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.”
Can you see that you were made in the dark (in your mother’s womb) and yet when no one could see you God was there. It’s amazing how then we seek to identify ourselves through what we see on television for instance Beyonce, Jay Z, Rihanna or Chris Brown. We even try to fit in to groups or situations so that we can discover ourselves.
Yet you have a maker who knows you through and through. Your life is a mystery that only He can solve because He was involved in your life from the very beginning. In fact He goes on to say in Jeremiah 29 vs 11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not evil, to give you an expected end.”
ONLY GOD KNOWS ABOUT YOUR FUTURE AND WHO YOU REALLY ARE. Not even your parents fully know, not your headmaster, teacher, boss, friend, next door neighbour, enemy and so forth. So don’t look for your answers or seek validation and definition from them. Cultivate your relationship with your maker and He will surely begin to unravel the mystery that is you.
The writer is a pastor with New Life Covenant Church. Email feedback at [email protected]
