G-Harmony: Just who--or what--are you looking for?

Seeking that Special Someone?
Are you looking for a special relationship with the Divine Being but are not sure where to find it or if having such a relationship is even possible? Well, then, G-Harmony is for you! You can be confident that God is eagerly seeking a relationship with you as well.

Just answer this simple, five-question survey, and you are well on your way to experiencing the spiritual relationship you have longed for.

G-Harmony Questionnaire

  1. How easily can you admit that you were wrong and need forgiveness, and are you willing to accept forgiveness when it is offered?

  2. Is it easy or difficult for you to receive guidance regarding how to improve your life, enhance the effectiveness of your actions, and make your thinking more positive?

  3. Are you willing to be flexible regarding your budget, your work habits, and your schedule?

  4. Are you willing to try new things, go new places, and meet new people?

  5. How willing are you to get involved in the lives of people around you?

About Question 1
God has found that many people either have a hard time admitting they have sinned or feel so overwhelmed that they can't conceive of the possibility of forgiveness. Both are self-centered responses. One of the first gifts God offers you is Grace--His willingness to forgive you through the sacrifice of Jesus, despite what you have done wrong. But if you want to save yourself or sense no need to be forgiven, then God can't help you (Luke 5:31-32).

All He asks is that you trust Him and allow Him to do for you what you are incapable of doing for yourself. He calls this saving experience "the new birth" or identifying with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (John 3:3-5; Rom. 6:1-7; Col. 2:12-13; Titus 3:5). He wants to make you one with Him, or "in Christ" (Romans 8:1-2).

About Questions 2 - 5
The other four questions turn from Jesus as Savior to Jesus as Lord. A transformed life is possible, but only because God empowers you through His Holy Spirit as a response to your willingness to change (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). God has established a support network called Christ's church to make it easier for you to move from worthless to worthy (Galatians 6:1-5). He makes everyone in genuine relationship with Him a part of this support network (1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 1:18-23).

Some aspects of your new relationship you will immediately find deeply satisfying, such as receiving from God a profound sense of value and acceptance (Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 1:3-8). Other aspects may cause you concern, at least at first, such as His firm demand that you participate in his program for your continuous improvement (Philippians 3:10-16) and His insistence that you connect with those around you (Romans 12:9-13).

You will discover that these requirements, though they be unsettling at first, are in fact, some of the most endearing parts of the relationship.

G-Harmony Caveat
I need to say up front: God is seeking a long-term relationship. There's no guarantee that if you back out, you can regain your former self-centered personality or life-style, at least not right away. These things take time.

Want to Go Deeper?


Here are some of the major biblical passages about the husband-wife metaphor describing God's bittersweet love-relationship with human beings:

  • Song of Solomon – An old tradition applies this celebration of married love to God and Israel (Jewish version) or Christ and the church (Christian version). The entire approach is questionable as probably not part of the original author's intent, but many hymns draw imagery from this source, e.g. "Lilly of the valley," "I'm my beloved's and He is mine," and "His banner over us is love."

  • Isaiah 50:1 – God divorces His people because of her sins.

  • Hosea, chapters 1 through 3 – The prophet's compassion for his adulterous wife corresponds to God's love for His people.

  • Ezekiel, chapters 16 and 23 – Israel's unfaithfulness to God is told as allegories of an adulterous wife.

  • John 3:25-30 – John the Baptizer sees his purpose as ensuring that Jesus and Israel consummate their union.

  • Matthew 22:1-14 and 25:1-13 – Christ's first and second comings are both pictured as a man getting married.

  • Ephesians 5:22-32 – Christ's faithful love for His wife, the church and its benefits to her.

  • 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 – Paul says he presented the Corinthians to Christ as a pure virgin to her husband.

  • Revelation 19:6-9; 21:2-5 – Christ, the One who is "faithful and true," receives His bride, pictured as "the New Jerusalem" and identified as "His holy ones."

Recommended for purchase (at discount)

Gene Edwards. The Divine Romance Tyndale, 1993. – Combines the simplicity of storytelling art with the profound depths of the Christian faith. This sweeping saga spans from eternity to eternity, revealing some of the deepest riches afforded the believer. Like a mighty symphony, here is a majestic rendition of the love of God. The story concludes at the consummation of the ages, when a victorious Lord takes his bride to himself. Truly the greatest love story ever told.

James Bryan Smith. Embracing the Love of God: The Path & Promise of the Christian Life. HarperOne, 2008. – Let God's immense love for you sink into your heart and soul like never before! These days when it seems many Christians are overcome with activities and trying to please people, their faith often becomes legalism. The only way to stop the cycle is to let God's love and approval embrace you, now and every day. Banish feelings of fear and insignificance, and develop a lifestyle of love and acceptance.

Recommended for online reading

John H. A. Ebrard. Commentary on 1 John 3:1-3 from his Biblical Commentary on the Epistles of St John. Trans. W. B. Pope. Edinburgh: T.&T. Clark, 1860.

G. G. Findlay. "Christ and His Bride", pp. 91-95 in his The Epistle to the Ephesians from An Exposition of the Bible, ed. by Marcus Dods, et al. Hartford, CT: S. S. Scranton, 1903. – Exposition of Ephesians 5:22-32.

Steve Singleton, DeeperStudy.com
Subscribe to feed

Labels: , , ,

« Home | Next »
| Next »
| Next »
| Next »
| Next »
| Next »
| Next »
| Next »
| Next »
| Next »

» Post a Comment