In our lives we have 2 kinds of relationships. We have the vertical relationship and the horizontal relationships. Now the vertical relationship is only one, and that is the one with God and the horizontal ones are many. Those are the ones with fellow humans.
What God showed me that set me free was that there is always the possibility or risk of damaging our horizontal relationships – our relationship with others. They are not always perfect. One mistake or misunderstanding can change the whole course of the relationship forever.
But now there’s a difference with the vertical relationship! This line of relationship is perfectly straight and always perfect when you are born again. Because when God sees you He always sees what Christ did on the cross, that which made you righteous. You and Christ are one in Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (Jn 4:24). Therefore, He sees you in the spirit i.e when He sees you, He views you in spirit: He sees Christ.
This implies that no matter what is going on in the horizontal plane, your vertical plane is always perfect. Nothing going on horizontally in your other relationships can touch or affect your vertical relationship. And that is why we can always boldly approach the throne of grace because we are sons! (Heb 4:16)
One time I wronged someone and I begun condemning myself saying, “You know what? I give up. I’m such a hyprocrite. How can I say I love Christ and want to spend time with Him when I am here hurting others?” But God told me something interesting. He was like, “What you did to that person is your business with that person, but you and me, we are ALWAYS good. Our relationship is always on point, so don’t let what happened in your horizontal plane affect how you relate to Me! Your relationship with that person has nothing to do with your relationship with me. Stop withdrawing from me, and letting our relationship suffer just because you’re having issues in your horizontal plane. Don’t allow those issues to spill over and affect what we have.”
That was AMAZING! It taught me to run to God instead of running away from Him when I wrong someone. And indeed He helped me sort out what was going on horizontally!
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the cross. Thank you for your unconditional love towards me. Thank you that when you see me, you see perfection because you see Christ. Thank you that the more I focus on your love for me, this very love I receive from you is what flows from me towards those around me. Thank you that even as the vertical relationship is perfect, you help me spread your love in all my horizontal relationships. In Jesus' Name, amen.