In a Relationship and It's Complicated

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? - Romans 8:35

I was browsing Facebook the other day when I noticed quite a few relationship status changes. There were new "married" updates and a few new "single" updates. I began to wonder what Christ would reflect if He chose to categorize the status of our relationships with Him?

Would our relationship reflect "married", as a show of commitment and dedication to Him? Or would it reflect more of an "open relationship" where it's a matter of convenience and opportunity? Would our relationship with Christ be "engaged", which would reflect our level of attention and importance given to Him in our lives? How about "single", which would be most reflective of our independence of Christ, as we choose to live our lives without Him? What do you think your status would be? Would it be too complicated to describe?

Paul posed a question in Romans 8:35 "who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" Paul follows this question with a concise and expressive answer reassuring us that there is nothing capable of separating us from the love of Christ. And with this surety of Christ's love for us, the question must be asked who shall separate the love of Christ from us? In other words, though Christ has committed His love for us, it is up to us to commit our love to Him. Here's where things get complicated.

A complicated relationship can be an indication that there are obstacles preventing two people from being in a committed relationship with one another. Many of us either now or at some point could identify with the status "in a relationship and it's complicated". We admit to being in a relationship with Christ, but additional influences, attractions, and interruptions have made it "complicated".

The committed intentions of Christ couldn't have been more clear when He bore our sins on His bloodied and torn body. His love for us was obvious with every moment He struggled for breath, sealing the assurance of our eternity. He continues to be a faithful, loving, and powerful presence in our lives. How much less should our commitment be to our beloved Savior and Lord? What are you willing to un-complicate to show your true, unadulterated love for Him? Nothing and no one has the power to separate Christ from you. Please don't allow your unwillingness to be whole-hearted and completely committed to Christ push you away from Him. I encourage you to choose a complete commitment, rather than a comfortable complication.

No longer complicated...but complete in Christ,

Tracy Gale