In Genesis 2 there’s an account of the creation of the heavens and earth. God had made Adam, placed him in the garden and tasked him with naming all of the animals. Adam was in perfect relationship with God. This was before the fall of man and before sin entered the world. And yet, even in perfect relationship with God, free from the influence of sin, relationship with God alone was not enough. God saw that it “was not good for man to be alone” and God made “a suitable helper for him” (vs 18). God is relational – Father, Son and Spirit – and They created man in their relational image. Our relationships with one another reflect the relational nature of the Triune God.

To say that all we need is Jesus simply isn’t biblical. God never intended us to be solely dependent on Him for our relational needs, even before sin entered the picture. The vertical relationship between us and God is extremely important and is the most precious gift we’ve been given through Christ’s faith on the cross. Likewise, the horizontal relationship between us and those around us has always been a vital resource designed by God to meet our fundamental human needs. And yet, so many of us feel shame for having needs of others. We feel like God should be enough, or we should be able to get it together on our own. Neither of these was ever His intention. He saw that it wasn’t good for us to be alone, and He made another human. It’s okay to have relational needs, and it’s okay – even necessary – that we get those needs met in other people.

We all have relational needs, every day. We need acceptance, comfort, validation, encouragement, truth, forgiveness, feedback and many more. How aware are you of your relational needs? What are you in need of right now? How willing are you to ask safe people in your life to meet your relational needs? God’s there, but He also gave you physical people – bone of your bones and flesh of your flesh – and it’s necessary that you let those around you in to meet your relational needs and visa versa. We were designed for relationship.

 

By Madeline Spring, Director of Admissions