I can think of a handful of people who would be there for me if I ever needed anything. Of course, there are family members, and a few friends who are the kind who are friends for life. And it’s also reciprocal. If they ever needed me for anything I would be there for them as well.
When we contemplate the relationships we have, they all have different levels of commitment. Some are implied, others are more direct and clearly stated. A marriage, for instance, is a legally binding, mutual agreement between two people that also has implied responsibilities. We make it legal in standing before a group of friends and family and pledging commitment to that other person. A document is signed and it’s made legal. The interesting thing is it’s not based on a document. If it were, the marriage would just be a cold and unfeeling partnership—no better than a business partnership. No, the marriage itself is grounded and rooted in the love those two people have for each other. The document is really a sign of that commitment. Of course, we find out later on that there are certain implied expectations that they have for the other person. The husband didn’t know anything about a ‘honey-do’ list and the wife didn’t know anything about a lifetime of prepared meals and laundry. Both of them end up thinking, “I don’t remember seeing that in the contract I signed. Was it some kind of rider in small print somewhere?” These things aren’t done due to a legal agreement, though. They’re done out of love for the other person even when that love isn’t necessarily felt.
What about family and friends? Well, these relationships generally have a level of commitment a little lower than a marriage. We are usually committed to that other person, only without a legal contract involved. Sometimes the level of commitment can be as great as a marriage relationship, it’s just that it’s not clearly stated. If one person gets mad at the other, or they sometimes don’t feel any affection for the other, there’s really nothing keeping them from leaving the relationship behind.
There are even lower-level relationships in our lives. If you think of a person as a volunteer in an organization. The commitment level there is certainly even looser than any other relationship. While that person may be very committed, and a deep believer in their cause, they could really just walk out the door with even less of a feeling of remorse. A person who is only a volunteer can easily feel like, “You’re just lucky to have me here to help when the chips are down.” Probably not the best attitude to have as a volunteer, though.
We know that there have been many relationships left in the wake of offences and hurt feelings. And unfortunately even marriages aren’t left immune to these realities. One thing to consider, though, is my level of commitment in the relationships I have. One of the things all these relationships hold in common is our availability to that other person. In all of these scenarios we are available to the other, it’s just a matter of our degree of availability.
In contemplating this topic, it’s a natural progression to consider our degree of availability to God. I find it a compelling truth that often times in the Bible God’s reference to Israel is similar to that of a marriage partner. In reading through a lot of the prophets of the Old Testament, God uses a lot of metaphors similar to that of a marriage relationship.
Here’s one instance in Hosea where Israel is referred to. Hosea 2:19 says, “And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.” In reading through the whole of scripture we plainly see that God places his level of commitment to us on the highest level. He compares it to the highest level of relationship we know of here on earth—the marriage relationship. Verses prior in Hosea 2:16 show us God’s desire to draw them into closer relation with Him. Hosea 2:16 says, “And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, [that] thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali.” Here ‘Ishi’ means ‘my husband’ and ‘Baali’ means ‘My Lord’. Clearly God’s desire is for us is not just a deeper level of commitment, but a deeper level of relationship.
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God was continually drawing them into a different, deeper relationship with Him. Jeremiah says,”31:33 But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” He didn’t want just a bunch of law-abiding drones. He wanted a deep-felt heart commitment to Him which resulted in a holy consecrated life unto Him.
One of the things that stand out to me in the Bible, in referring to our commitment to God, is Saul’s conversion on the road to Damascus. Here’s the account in Acts of his encounter with God. Acts 9:4 says, “And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [it is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” I find it telling that when Paul was first exposed to the truth he said, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” His conversion really began with him asking God what He wanted him to do. What followed was Paul embarking on a journey of obedience to God which resulted in his leadership in the churches and writing two-thirds of the New Testament. Paul clearly became available to God.
All of this leads to is the level of relationship I have with Him. Am I in a deeply committed marriage with the deepest levels of commitment and corresponding levels of intimacy? Or, Am I in something of a friendship where I talk to him once in a while and, while I feel some obligation, I can easily talk my way out of it when I want to. Or, maybe I’m acting on just a volunteer basis? I’ll get to it when I have time, and if I do get around to it, you’re really lucky to have my assistance. God has made clear to us in His Word the degree to which He is available to us. The only question left is, “How available am I to Him?”
Hosea 2:19 says, “And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.”
Hosea 2:16 says, “And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, [that] thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali.”
Jeremiah says,”31:33 But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
Acts 9:4 says, “And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [it is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.”