New Year. New Faces.

Hey guys,
this is the first time that I've updated the blog since last month and I'm sure that in both my own life, and your lives, things have changed a lot. Mainly, apart from a lot of University students who seem to be off more than in lectures, the summer has ended once more for us all. We're back to school. Back to work. Back to life. No more sun and free time with friends, or at least not so much.

I started University for the first time also this week: I'm studying Youth Work and Practical Theology for those interested! Starting for the first time meant that there were a lot of new aspects to my life. New routines, new location, but most of all - new people. On my course, in my year specifically, there are 15 of us students. So that's 14 new faces, new names and new individuals to get to know. Still struggling a bit after the third day with the names alone but I'm getting there!

This led me however on one of my many day dreaming sessions in lectures to think about introductions, meeting new people and developing relationships with some of them. We all have a choice when we meet a new person for the first time, do we not? We choose either to get to know that person more, or we don't ever develop the relationship with the person. The last response leads to 2 outcomes. Firstly, they're in our lives barely: we don't know them very well, we don't tend to spend much time with them, and although we know a little bit about them, we don't really bother with them too much. Or finally, they simply aren't our lives at all, we make no effort with them and continue living as if we never were introduced to them.

"Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in Heaven will enter. On judgement day many will say to me, 'Lord! Lord!'... But I will reply, 'I never knew you'..." - Matthew 7 v 21 - 23

It's true for God too. I'm sure lots of us have heard about God, been "introduced" to God if you will. Maybe we didn't think about it at the time, but we all made a subconscious decision either to get to know Him further or not to. Some of us, like me, are developing our relationship with our Father God: always getting to know Him more and deepening our relationship with the Lord. What about you? Maybe you aren't. So what are you guys doing?

Is God in your life at all? Did you just forget about hearing about God for the first time, and have went on living ever since regardless? Or is God in your life, but not really changing how you live? It's like a best friend. If they're really in your life, you make a lot of time for them. They change how you live.

It's important to never assume we're in the category that is pursuing our relationship with God - even as Christians. I need to check every day, that I'm making enough time for God and really being intentional in getting to know Him more. I challenge you all to do the same.