My Relationship with God

Procedure

• 1. The facilitator reads the description of each relationship, with pauses in between for the participants to draw a stick figure on the line. If the relationship description describes their relationship with God very much, they draw a stick figure closer to the left of the line. Otherwise, they draw it to the right. But if it somewhat describes their relationship with God, then draw it in the middle of the line.

  2. At the end of this exercise, have the participants put a star next to the relationship that BEST describes their relationship with God, an “X” next to the relationship that LEAST describes their relationship with God, an exclamation mark next to the relationship that they long to have with God, a question mark next to the relationship with which they are uncomfortable having with God.

  3. Share their answers with the group and explain why. Share what they learned about themselves, what they would like to improve in their relationship with God, and how they plan to do so.

Description

• King-citizen: You feel you belong to this kingdom of God. You feel safe under His protection. You follow His rules in fear of being punished when the rules are broken. You can see God far away. You always hear about God's wonder. You're like the Israelites on the foot of Mt. Sinai. The feeling you have toward Him is fear because He is the authority in your life. The relationship may be distant. You might be grateful to be in this kingdom, but you might also have your own opinions about how this kingdom should be run.

  • Lord-vassal: God is a noble, higher-being that you pledge your allegiance to. You would do anything for Him because of your respect for Him and loyalty to Him. You would sacrifice yourself for His cause because He is worth it. Respect, loyalty, and self-sacrifice would be the key ingredients in this relationship.

  • Master-servant: God is the master who owns you and He is the one we serve. You see yourselves as a lowly servant who has no say in your master's matter. Your task in life is to humble yourself and submit to the orders of God. You will do whatever He asks of you because that is your duty.

  • Father-son: God is a Father who disciplines you when you do wrong. Yet, He watches out for you when you are in need. He gives you guidance when you ask. He also surprises you with gifts at times even if you've done nothing to deserve them. No matter what you've done or how unlovely you may think you are, you know He still loves you because He is your Father. He doesn't try to control you but gives you space to grow. Because you are His son, you'd feel that you sometimes look like Him, sound like Him, and think like Him.

  • Husband-wife: He's the love of your life. You think of Him often throughout the day. When you wake up, He is the first one you think of. You would say, "Good morning!" to Him. When you go to bed, He's also the thought you fall asleep with. When you do think of Him, you'd have a smile on your face. When you are going to kneel down and pray, your heart races because you are so excited that it is time to talk to the lover of your soul.

  • Teacher-student: God is your teacher. He is the beginning and source of knowledge and wisdom. When you don't understand something, you go to Him. You find yourself asking Him a lot of questions. You also find yourself observing Him a lot because is someone we learn from. You observe and learn from His speech, His actions, and His nature. As a student, your life goal is to learn as much as you could from Him about Him and then to pass on what you've learned to your students and/or next generation. It's like a kung-fu master and student relationship.

  • Creator-creation: God is your creator. You admire Him because His creation is so amazing! You understand that He knows everything about you. You give credit and glory to Him for everything that you are able to do. You recognize how minute you are but also understand how wonderfully made you are as the creation of God. You fully understand God's sovereignty over you, so you would ask God for permission for everything. You know your body, abilities, money, and time belong to God and you are ready to give them back to God without hesitation.

  • Physician-patient: God is our doctor. He heals us of our diseases in our bodies and soul. We go to Him when we are in pain. We believe He can heal us and make us better.

  • Friend-friend: God is your friend. Your relationship is equal, and it's give and take. You can talk to Him without any reservation. You can talk to Him anytime and anywhere. When something exciting happen in your life, you want to share with Him. When something bad happen in your life, you want to share with Him. When something funny, interesting, or ridiculous happen, He is the first you want to tell. There is no fear in this relationship.

  • Counselor-counselee: God is your counselor. You go to Him when you have problems. When you don't know what to do, you seek for His counsel. But in the process of seeking His counsel to solve your problems, you end up knowing yourself better and deeper. You may or may not actually find the solution to the problem, but you will find out what you lack and need to change.

  • Savior-sinner: In this relationship, you can always feel your sins and guilt pressing against your chest. You find yourself repenting to God all the time. When bad things happen to you, you know you deserve them as punishments from God. You feel bad for your sins, but you know that God can help you. You look for His redemption and ask for strength to overcome your sinful nature.

Notes

• • If you agree with the description, it doesn't mean it describes your relationship with God.

  • Just because you used to feel this way, it doesn't mean it describes your relationship CURRENTLY.