Rebuilding a Relationship with Jesus 

One of my projects at the beginning of this new year is rebuilding our church website. I am no expert in this field. I have put a website together in the past, but it has been a few years. So I am having to try to refresh my memory on how to do it, playing with the various tools, and working my way through it by means of much trial and error. There are sections of our site that have been regularly updated – the weekly sermons, my blog, and upcoming events. However other pages have remained untouched for years. I didn’t realize how badly it needed updating until a recent closer examination. There are pages describing ministries that we no longer offer. Images don’t accurately reflect our congregation. And even my own personal information was woefully behind the times, failing to state the correct number of grandchildren who are now in our family. This rebuilding is long overdue.

Maybe some of us need to do another kind of rebuilding as we head into the new year. Are there aspects of our relationship with the Lord that need some attention due to neglect? Have we allowed our fellowship with Jesus to grow distant? Or maybe it has been more dramatic than simply failing to stay as close to the Lord as we should. In some cases, we may have knowingly turned away from Him. We have fallen into some sinful habits, or at least some practices that distract us from fully following the Lord. Our relationship with Jesus doesn’t just need a few tweaks heading into a new year – it needs a major overhaul to get it back up-to-date. 

I am no expert on this kind of rebuilding either, but I have learned a few things over the years from both scripture and my own experiences. Any rebuilding usually needs to start with humble confession and repentance. When Nehemiah saw the need for the rebuilding of the walls around Jerusalem, this was part of his first prayer – a confessing of the sins of himself and his people. And when we turn to the Lord with a repentant heart, He promises to turn to us. So begin rebuilding your relationship with Jesus by being honest with Him about your need, turning away from any sin in your life, and fully dedicating yourself to following Him.

Another lesson we can learn from the book of Nehemiah is that rebuilding takes both hard work and prayer. Rebuilding your relationship with the Lord might require greater discipline to spend time reading His Word, to pray, and to gather with fellow believers for worship. You might have to work at cultivating a closer walk with God. However, never lose sight of your dependence on the Lord. In the midst of Nehemiah’s hard work, he would often pray, asking God for help. We have a role to play, but we need the Lord’s help if we are going to rebuild our relationship with Him. We need His forgiveness, His strength, His guidance, and His power to overcome the enemy who will try to hinder us in those efforts.

One other bit of advice that I have found helpful is this: take it a step at a time. Rather than focusing on some grandiose resolution at the beginning of the new year that can seem so overwhelming to try to achieve, just take it one day and one step at a time. Don’t worry about tomorrow. Spend some time today reading the Bible. Put aside some other activity this morning to make room for prayer. Go to church this Sunday. Show Jesus’ love to someone or plant a seed of truth in their life today. Take a step in the right direction toward rebuilding now, and then keep walking that way.