THE LOST ART OF RELATIONSHIP
faith walk, or even in response to one of our questions. We see Jesus doing this throughout his ministry on this earth.
One such time is recorded in Matthew 16:13–20. Jesus and his disciples had arrived in Caesarea Philippi, and while they were spending some time together, Jesus decided to ask them who others say that He is. The murmur of the crowds had entered their ears, and they responded by saying, “Some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”
This was just a precursor question. Then Jesus asked them directly, “But who do you say I am?”
Peter chimed in and said, “You are the Messiah, the son of the Living God.” There it was. Peter just made a declaration of faith right there. Because of the time he had spent with Jesus, he understood who Jesus is.
The question Jesus asked brought the disciples to the doorway of faith. If they made this confession of faith about who Jesus really is, they could walk through the door to a deeper relationship with Him.
Ask the right question and someone might let you in. This is an example for us. How deep are you allowing your relationships to go? Questions are the shovels that help us dig deeper into relationship. Some may be afraid of what someone may uncover that has been buried for a long time. However, the more we expose ourselves to those we trust, the deeper we can go, and the more meaningful our relationships can be. Without probing questions, our relationships will only stay on the surface.
Never Stop Asking Questions
We should always be on the quest for discovery about people in our life. Even after twenty-plus years of marriage, there are still things I am learning about my wife. I still need to ask questions to learn what she may be thinking. It shows my love for her and lets her know I am interested in her life.
God, Himself is unfathomable and outside time; who could possibly know and understand all there is about God? No one! Asking questions is one of the best ways to continue to develop an understanding of God and move into a deeper relationship with Him. When we do ask Him questions, we should listen very carefully to the answers He gives, as they can be verbal or non-verbal.
Even though man is a created being, who could possibly know and understand all there is about someone? No one except God, of course. Asking