My daughter has been involved with a boot camp class for over a year (she was looking terrific) and then I joined. While there I saw that she was in a ‘community’. They knew her face, said hello and sometimes even chatted with her. As I kept coming, I also had the same community involvement.  It took time and it was a process of trust or even a desire to know them.

People have been watching us and come over commenting how wonderful they think it is that we come together.  They have a desire for something more than community.   

If you’ve watched the movie, Avatar, the natives of the planet greet each other with, “I see you”. My daughter asked me what that meant in the movie. The words that were passed between the people, “I see you” means they know the real person on the inside that they are greeting. As villagers raised together, they’ve spent time and come to know them and their spirit well.  In the vernacular of today, “they get you”.  Haven’t you always been awed and attracted to someone who ‘gets you’? This is someone who ‘sees you’.

People talk about the exercise group they belong to and how they have fun talking with others there.  Is that a relationship or a community?  They talk about their church and how they are involved…relationship or community?  They hear about a relathionship with God, but are they confusing that personal relationship with Him for just being in a community of like-minded people? 

There is a real difference between being in a church community versus being in a close relationship with God the Father.  The difference is, He knows your every thought, your personal being and desires to be in relationship, not just in your community.  He knows you intimately but wants you to know Him intimately also.  God the Father ‘gets you’. 

I see that being in a church community can be a religious thing.  It’s something you do out of duty, for show to others, maybe for you it’s where people make you feel less lonely. You show up, sing songs, hear the message, and walk out the doors.  But where is the relationship with God? 

First you have to ask yourself, do you ‘get God’?  I mean, can you say to Him, ‘I see you’?  (I’m not talking about a visual seeing of God).  How would I get to know Him that way? 

The first step is the desire to know Him.  Assuming you’ve asked Him into your life, then you take time to find out more about Him.  Yes, you find out through sitting in church or study groups if you are listening and wanting to know.  “Didn’t you just say that that is ‘religious’?”  My point was, it’s all in your motives.  Ask yourself why you are there; for what reason?  Being in a church body of believers is important and necessary.  Like a village, or community, you need to know each other, lift each other up, encourage, and help each other.  It’s a place to grow, give and receive with ‘iron sharpening iron’.  You may even have relationships with people that ‘get you’ or you can look at them and say, “I see you”. 

There is even a more profound way to ‘know God’,  ‘to get Him’.  His Word is Who He is.  His Word is truth and life.  You can come to know Him through His Word (the bible) and time spent talking with Him.  How do you talk to someone you can’t see?  If you’ve read His Word, He assures you that He’s listening, answering, caring, loving and ready to be in full relationship.  Even Jesus said, “If you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father”.  Talking to Him is called prayer…but it’s still just talking to Him.  This is how you can say, “I see You”….”I get you”….”I know You”.  

Deepen your relationship today.  Quit waiting for the right time, or wondering if you’re ready.  The time is now to act and it’s your choice.