| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | or court wedding. However, establishing a proper |
| Time and again the question has been asked, If | | | | relationship with God does not require any |
| really the world was created by a good and | | | | ceremonies. All a person needs to do is get close to |
| omnipotent God who watches over His creation, why | | | | God. But how does someone get close to |
| are we visited so often by natural disasters and | | | | God? you may ask. Here is how. |
| personal tragedies? On some occasions, tens of | | | | It is a natural phenomenon that people of like nature |
| thousands are killed and whole communities rendered | | | | tend to come together. That is why it is said, |
| homeless by earthquake. At other times, death and | | | | Show me your friends and I will tell you who you |
| destruction are caused by flooding. When their | | | | are or birds of like feather flock together. |
| season comes, hurricanes sweep in violently and take | | | | To get close to God a person has to emulate God in |
| their toll on lives and property. | | | | His goodness. Such a person has to become |
| Planes crash, same goes for motor vehicles, trains | | | | good-natured and they have to live a moral life. To |
| derail, boats sink and cancer manifests. The hopes | | | | be good-natured means to be kind, helpful and |
| and aspirations of victims are tragically cut short and | | | | unselfish in one's dealings with others. An unselfish |
| their loved ones are left grieving. Famine, poverty, | | | | person is one who considers the interests and |
| disease and armed conflict are ravaging a whole | | | | welfare of others first. And to live a moral life is to |
| continent — Africa. | | | | live a good and virtuous life. |
| And why does God, the most benevolent, allow | | | | To become well-connected with God requires that |
| so much evil in the world? Our experience of evil | | | | you become godly. To put it in modern parlance, you |
| deeds ranges from the occasional abduction, rape | | | | have to live a God-friendly life. |
| and murder to genocide perpetrated in the name of | | | | As is the case with partners in a marital relationship, |
| racial or ethnic cleansing. And while we are still | | | | there are benefits you enjoy when you establish a |
| grappling with discrimination and oppression by | | | | proper relationship with God. |
| invoking human rights, terrorism has added a | | | | Firstly, no difficulty or challenge shall overcome you if |
| horrifying new dimension to our experience of wicked | | | | you always put your faith in God whenever your |
| deeds. | | | | abilities or resources prove to be inadequate. Even |
| Given the catalogue of woes we have to live with, | | | | mountain-high obstacles cannot prevent you from |
| some people are understandably disenchanted with | | | | attaining your goals and aspirations. But you may not |
| God. But this should not be so. The fault is not with | | | | want to take my word for it. So here is a second |
| God but with our lack of adequate knowledge of | | | | opinion — that of Jesus Christ, one of the |
| how God has designed things to work. If we | | | | world’s greatest teachers in the domain of |
| understand how the system is meant to work and | | | | religion and spirituality. (The Bible (NIV), Mark |
| we do things the right way, all will surely be well with | | | | 11:22-24). |
| us. The knowledge I gained from six years of | | | | Have faith in God, Jesus answered. I tell |
| scientific inquiry into the spiritual aspect of life will be | | | | you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, |
| a great help here. | | | | Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does |
| God has endowed us with ability to do things. But | | | | not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says |
| this ability is limited. The extent of the limitation is | | | | will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell |
| such that we cannot on our own ensure the | | | | you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that |
| attainment and maintenance of the happiness, good | | | | you have received it, and it will be yours. |
| health and success we all crave for. This means that | | | | Secondly, evil or misfortune will not befall you. |
| we must necessarily associate with God if our well | | | | Accidents will occur, sickness will claim lives, men will |
| being is to be guaranteed. He is almighty and can | | | | perpetrate evil and nature will wreak havoc but you |
| provide all the help and protection we need to enable | | | | will remain untouched. Again I will want Jesus to |
| us live completely happy and successful lives. This | | | | corroborate my hard-to-believe assertions regarding |
| arrangement makes it impractical for us to disregard | | | | the amazing benefits of God-friendly living, (Luke |
| God and do things our own way. (God has to remain | | | | 6:46-49). |
| relevant in the affairs of humans as we are | | | | Why do you call me, Lord, Lord,’ and |
| co-workers with Him in the ongoing work of | | | | do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like |
| creation). | | | | who comes to me and hears my words and puts |
| In order to fully appreciate this arrangement, we can | | | | them into practice. He is like a man building a house, |
| liken it to the divine design that necessitates the | | | | who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. |
| marital relationship. A man may desire to have | | | | When the flood came, the torrent struck that house |
| children. But his ability to procreate is limited. He can | | | | but could not shake it, because it was well built. But |
| only make a woman pregnant. There his contribution | | | | the one who hears my words and does not put |
| ends. It is the woman that carries the fetus in her | | | | them into practice is like a man who built a house on |
| womb until it is fully developed by which time she | | | | the ground without a foundation. The moment the |
| delivers the baby. No matter how big, strong and | | | | torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its |
| virile a man may be, he cannot on his own bring a | | | | destruction was complete. |
| child into the world. His ability to reproduce is limited | | | | And thirdly, God’s blessings shall be yours in |
| to the extent that he must necessarily enter into a | | | | full. You will gain those good things that everyone |
| relationship with a woman in order to have children. | | | | hopes for and strives to obtain. You will have good |
| And this brings us to the important issue of proper | | | | health, your happiness will be boundless and your |
| relationship. For a woman to cooperate with a man in | | | | success will be complete. This may sound like an |
| bearing and raising children, the man has to enter into | | | | extravagant claim but listen to Jesus on the |
| a proper relationship with her. And this relationship is | | | | connection between our welfare and godliness, |
| what we know as marriage. When a marriage has | | | | (Matthew 6:25-33). |
| been properly contracted, the woman will gladly do | | | | Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your |
| what she is naturally equipped to do, that is, bear | | | | life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, |
| children. She is fulfilled when she brings children into | | | | what you will wear. Is not life more important than |
| the union. The husband does not have to beg or | | | | food, and the body more important than clothes? |
| plead with her to play this role. | | | | Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap |
| The issue of a proper relationship is also important in | | | | or store away in barns and yet your heavenly Father |
| our association with God. In order for God to | | | | feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than |
| cooperate with us in ensuring our well being, we need | | | | they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour |
| to establish a proper relationship with Him. While | | | | to his life? |
| human ability is limited, God is almighty. When a | | | | And why do you worry about clothes? See how |
| proper relationship is established, here is what | | | | the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. |
| happens. In striving towards the realization of our | | | | Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his |
| goals and aspirations, we will carry out those things | | | | splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is |
| that are humanly possible, while God will accomplish | | | | how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here |
| those things that are humanly impossible. | | | | today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he |
| It does not require our pleas and prayers for God to | | | | not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So |
| play His role in ensuring our safety and welfare. God | | | | do not worry saying, what shall we eat?’ |
| is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. He is | | | | or what shall we drink?’ or what shall |
| always ready and willing to prove Himself by | | | | we wear?’ For the pagans run after these |
| accomplishing those things we consider impossible | | | | things, and your heavenly Father knows that you |
| including those things we regard as miracles. The way | | | | need them. But seek first his kingdom and his |
| God relates to humans is aptly expressed in the | | | | righteousness, and all these things will be given to |
| statement, man’s extremity is | | | | you as well. |
| God’s opportunity. | | | | I have found from personal experience that when |
| And now we come to the question of how someone | | | | someone is well-connected with God, they function |
| can establish a proper relationship with God. In the | | | | on a superhuman level. So why should anyone |
| case of marriage, a wedding ceremony is generally | | | | struggle through life relying on their limited abilities |
| accepted as the requirement for establishing a proper | | | | alone when they can also draw on the unlimited |
| marital relationship. It could be a religious, customary | | | | capabilities of God? |