Relationships take commitment. A marriage cannot last if a couple never speaks to each other, spends time together, shares with one another or has fun together. A friendship will be stagnant unless each friend makes a real effort to care for the other person. A child does not thrive if there is not a caregiver to show love to them. Relationships require good thoughts about the other person, but also an actual show of commitment through physical actions.

Why is it then that in our relationship with the Lord, it’s a Sunday-only type of deal? Or an “I’ll call you if I need something” check-in? Or an “I have five minutes to read a devotion on my phone before I have to run to the next thing” encounter? It shouldn’t be a surprise that our faith doesn’t move beyond surface level when we are not willing to commit time to a serious relationship with God. Like any relationship we care about, we get out of it what we put into it.

This is not to minimalize the busyness of your life or the demands of work and family. Rather, I want to simply encourage a relationship assessment before it becomes a relationship autopsy. Perhaps it is time to renew a commitment to the Lord today to carve out extra space for the one who loves us more than anything. If we truly desire to take our faith to the next level, this is the first step.

Going Deeper

• Review your last week. How much time did you spend with the Lord?
• What can you eliminate or lessen in your day to make a bit more room for Jesus? It might be television, gaming, work or something else.
• Just as you would schedule a meeting in your calendar, schedule some Jesus time. Block that time out for Him alone and keep it as a non-negotiable in your calendar.

Steps to Salvation

The Bible states that God loves you and cares for you as a person (John 3:16). Humankind has been separated from God by sin (Romans 3:23). God sent His Son as a provision for our salvation through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross and His resurrection from the dead (Romans 5:8). Doing good deeds is not enough (Ephesians 2:8-9), but receiving the free gift of salvation is (John 1:12).

You can invite Jesus Christ into your life right now by praying something like the following:

Dear God, I know I am a sinner. I need Your forgiveness and grace. I believe that Christ paid the penalty for my sin, and He died in my place, and He rose from the dead. I invite Jesus Christ to come into my life as Savior. Thank You for saving me from my sin and making me Your child. Help me to grow and learn how to serve You. Amen.