What it Means
We pursue God and His people through the reflection we make, the posture we hold, how we experience life & the relationship we make.
Simply put we are pursuing God and pursuing ALL people.
Reflection
We’ve all seen our reflection in a mirror, but we also reflect something by virtue of how we live and what we pursue. What reflection is required on our part to pursue God well but also to pursue all people?
Sanctification is God’s will for believers – to be set apart for His purposes and to grow in Christlikeness.
1 Thessalonians 4:3, Romans 8:29
Justice has recently been a buzzword, but its roots go back to the beginning of the biblical story. Caring for all people out of a heart of mercy is the essence of justice. God loves justice (Ps. 37:28). As Jesus-followers, we are called to love what He does.
Micah 6:8
Posture
The posture we hold with our bodies has huge implications for our physical health. The same is true for the posture of our hearts. What postures enable us to pursue God and all people?
More than just asking God for things, we should think of prayer in terms of conversation… of relationship. Prayer involves listening to God speak through His word, then we respond back. Prayer is a significant part of pursuing and knowing God.
Colossians 4:2
Biblical Hospitality is love of the stranger – one who is different from you – rooted in and motivated by what God did for us. The story of the Bible is one of Divine Hospitality!
1 Peter 4:9
Experience
Every person experiences life on a daily basis, at home, at work, at play. It’s also true in our relationship with the Lord and with people. This category asks how we experience a life of pursuing God and others.
Worship is required of Christians, but not because the Lord needs His self-esteem boosted. The reality is that a life of worship better enables us to more fully pursue God. In other words, it’s good for us. It’s helpful in knowing Him more.
John 4:24
The opening salvo of the Bible speaks of God’s creativity. As those made in His image, we also use creativity. This is far more than just works of artistry, although it includes that. It can involve creatively pursuing people in love and grace.
Exodus 36:1-2
Relationship
At the end of the day, relationship is all about knowing and being known. Those dynamics come into play in our relationship with Jesus and others with whom we connect. This pairing emphasizes the values of knowing God and others, but also being known by them.
More than just knowing about, we are called to know, both God and others. This involves experiential knowledge, a knowing that touches every part of our lives, including our minds, emotions, and actions.
John 17:3
Part of relationship is being known. This entails us opening aspects of our hearts and lives to both the Lord and people. This is perhaps much more difficult than knowing since it involves a high degree of relationship and vulnerability. Being known is integral to relationship.
John 17:3
