Have Yourself A Relational Christmas

Spent some time this morning with a couple of guys from last year’s Ironman group. It was great to see them (had been 6 months), catch up and talk about what was going on in our lives. There is a camaraderie that I have with these guys that will never change and it really comes down to the fact that our relationships were built with Christ at the center. It all started a year and a half ago and the first thing we did together was pray. What’s funny is you’ll hardly see that in any other setting, but because this was a bible study/Christian fellowship group, it was appropriate to start off with prayer. As the year continued and we met each week, we united in Christ and left knowing that each one of us was praying for the other. And even though I will not see these guys every week like I use to I know we are in a tight bond where we can rely upon one another.
During this season, we tend to surround ourselves with people we work with, are related to and it brings stress (at least for me). I don’t know why, maybe it’s because of a lot of hidden baggage, unchecked issues, reluctance to address a relational issue or maybe it’s because the focus of the relationship hasn’t been about Christ but something else.
This is a relational time, because Christ came down to show us what a relationship with Him and our Heavenly Father should look like. But during this time many of us come together for other reasons(i.e. presents, traditions, etc.). And, to throw Christ into the mix might cause some tension (even chaos), because if it hasn’t been a regular thing in the relationship it’s foreign; therefore, it’s weird. So how do you bring Christ into the relationships, how do you make these bonds Christ focused? I’m not sure…except to pray for opportunities.
The most important aspect of a relationship can be the bond of Christ, but you can’t force it in, you have to take advantage of the right opportunities. I encourage you (and will pray for you) this Christmas to pray for opportunities to share God’s love with family members, friends and coworkers.