06/30/2026
A Neglected Relationship
Dear friend, have you ever felt neglected by someone close to you? Maybe a best friend with whom you once shared everything ā hours of conversation, laughter, and mutual support through lifeās ups and downs. But then, life got busy. Work, new goals, and other commitments piled up, and suddenly, the invitations to meet were ignored, and the messages grew further apart. It hurts, doesnāt it? You long to renew that bond, but the disconnection feels so real.
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest."
ā Psalm 22:1-2
But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
--- Psalms 13:5 NLT
I wonder if this is how God feels when we drift away from Him? Have we, perhaps unintentionally, neglected our relationship with Him? God continually invites us into His presence through prayer, worship, and His Word, but how often do we push Him aside with excuses about our busyness? āIāll spend time with God when things settle down,ā we say. Does that sound familiar? This isnāt about guilt but about gently examining our hearts. Are we guilty of letting our relationship with God fade into the background?
Look at the words God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah: "'For I know the plans I have for you,ā declares the Lord, āplans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart'ā (Jeremiah 29:11-13).
There are two things of note in this passage: number 1, God is approachable, and number 2, God wants to reveal Himself to us. God longs for us to seek Him wholeheartedly, and He promises that when we do, weāll find Him. Itās a beautiful invitation, yet so often, like the Israelites, we find ourselves drifting. Even though they were chosen by God to reveal His glory, they turned away from Him when life was good. They grew strong and prosperous but neglected the very relationship that sustained them. God mourned their faithlessness (Jeremiah 3:6-10), lamenting how far they had wandered.
And yet, Godās heart hasnāt changed. His invitation to us remains the same: seek Him with all your heart, and He will meet you there.
But if weāre honest, we let so many things take our attention away from God: work, school, family, hobbies, social media... The list goes on. It isnāt about abandoning the good things in life but about asking ourselves: are these things becoming more important than our relationship with God?
"Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down... then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God... You may say to yourself, 'My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.' But remember the Lord your God..."
ā Deuteronomy 8:12-18 (abridged)
One of the most beautiful truths of the gospel is that God deeply desires to be close to us and reveal more of Himself. Jesus said, āI have many more things to say to youā (John 16:12). But how will we ever hear Him if we donāt spend unhurried time in His presence?
Dear friend, hear Jesusā words in Revelation: āBehold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and will dine with him, and he with Meā (Revelation 3:20). What an image of intimacy! God is knocking, waiting, hoping weāll respond.
So today, will you open the door and meet with Him?
Let's Reflect
How can you meet with God today?
Prayer
God,
I will seek You with all my heart, for when I do, I will find You. You donāt shortchange me when I spend time in Your presence. Deepen our bond, trust, and friendship, I pray.
In Jesusā name, amen.
Devotional day 3 "Intimacy with God". YouVersion Bible App (abridged)
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