Know What's Going On In Their Lives

This week we are looking at 2 Timothy 1:3-6 as we discuss reconnecting with the relationships that God has placed in our lives. Just a refresher, research indicates that people are most happy when they are in strong relationships with friends, co-workers, and family members. So how do we develop strong relationships?


Paul says in verses 3 - 4: “...as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears...” Timothy was in tears. What was wrong? We don't know, but Paul did. He was close enough to Timothy that he, first of all, knew that Timothy was in tears; and, secondly, he prayed for Timothy because of his tears.

When I don't know what to pray for the people I love...that should be a red flag for me. When all I can say is, "Lord, bless..." but I can't add any more than that to my prayer request, that is an indicator that I am not paying enough attention to our relationship.

Do you know what's going on in the personal lives of those closest to you? There is an easy way to do it? Turn the TV off, set down for dinner or on the couch and talk! And if you will listen, you will hear more than enough to fill up your prayer time.

Unhappy? Check How Disconnected You Are

A study conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, released in June of 2006, revealed that almost 25% of the people living in the US have zero close friends. Twenty years earlier the number was 10%. Isolation is a growing problem (reported in USAToday, June 22, 2006).

In the book, A Model-Free Approach to the Study of Subjective Well Being, psychologists Carolyn Murray and Jean Peacock identified four key factors for a happy life: the number of friends, the closeness of friends, the closeness of family, and the relationships with one's co-workers and neighbors. One expert from the National Opinion Research Center said, "By far, the biggest component of happiness is how connected you are."

It's no wonder that if 25% of Americans have no close friends (and the key component to a happy life is our relationships) so many people are unhappy with life. Let me bring it closer to home. In my observations as a pastor for the past 30 years, the more disconnected an individual or family becomes from their church family, the more unhappy they will be with their church. 

Jesus said that the second most important commandment is that you love others. He understood that people need people. We need each other.

This week, we are going to explore the question, "How close am I to the people God has placed in my life?" 

Illogical Love

I think it is safe to say, God's love's is illogical. As illustrated in the story of Hosea and Gomer, God shows his love to us, even though He fully knows we will not always be faithful to Him. That is illogical! But it is wonderful!

Can we honestly say, there is any good reason, based on our talents, abilities, pedigree, education, personality, or any other human factor, why God should love us? Why would God commit himself to us when He knew would not always be faithful to Him? Would you choose a mate, who, going in, you know will not be faithful to you, will betray your love, and leave you for others? Would you choose a mate who, going in, you know will not be thankful for what you do and give, the love and support you show?

Yet God loves us in such an amazing way. The only answer to any of the questions above is that God's love is illogical when contrasted to human love. But aren't you thankful that it is?

If You Knew Your Spouse Was Going To Be Unfaithful, Would You Marry Them?

Let me ask that question again, "If you knew your future spouse would have an affair (or worse yet, even multiple affairs) after you were married, would you still marry them?" I don't know many of us that would accept that deal.

But that is exactly what God told Hosea to do in Hosea 1:2-3: “When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, 'Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the Lord.' So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.”

Don't you think that is asking a lot of Hosea? This wonderful love story begins in the verses we have just read but it takes an incredible turn in chapter three, where Gomer has returned to a life of prostitution, having left Hosea and their three children. In chapter three, she is now on an auction block, being sold my her pimp because he can no longer prostitute out her services as she grows older. He wants to get whatever he can out of her. So the bids begin. 

Suddenly from somewhere in the back of the crowd a voice strong and clear rings out, “I’ll give 15 shekels and ten 10 bushels of barley.” The auctioneer’s jaw drops. He can’t believe what he has just heard. She was not worth that much. The woman on the podium didn’t lift her head. As far as she was concerned this was just another stranger who would take her, use her, abuse her, and ultimately cast her away. 

The Hosea gently puts a cloth around her naked body, calls her by name, and takes her home as he tells her, “You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will live with you.” (Hosea 3:3). Arm in arm they begin their journey home. 

Would you do what Hosea did? Probably not. But here's the thing about this story. Although it is a true story, it is really not a story about Hosea and Gomer. It is a story about us and God. The night you and I pledged ourselves to God and accepted Jesus as your Savior, He knew fully well that we would prostitute our loyalty to worldly attitudes and actions. He knew we would fail him. But He chose to love us anyway.

In fact, He made the same promise to us that He made to the nation of Israel in the book of Hosea: “I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.” (Hosea 14:4). Don't miss it...he will heal our waywardness. Have we ever been wayward? Absolutely. He will love us freely...in spite of our waywardness.

This week we are going to explore three qualities of this amazing love that God extends to us.

Jesus Knows What Is Missing

We are looking at the first miracle of Jesus this week. In particular, how it relates to marriage in the 21st Century. But the principles we will look at this week will work in any relationship. The first principle is this: Jesus knows what is missing...in your marriage, in other relationships, in your life. But there is a caveat!

Jesus knew what missing at this couples wedding because He was there. He had been invited. And because He had been invited, He was able to do something about it.

Jesus knows what's missing from your marriage. If the wine is gone, if the feelings are gone, if resentments have built up, if communication has broken down...Jesus knows about it. And He knows what to do about it. But He won't do anything where He hasn't been invited. Invite Jesus to your marriage, your relationship, or whatever experience in your life is lacking, so that He can do what needs to be done.