I am YAHWEH, your mighty God! I grip your right hand and won’t let you go! I whisper to you: ‘Don’t be afraid; I am here to help you!’ – Isaiah 41:13 (TPT)
Our best example of relational love is experienced from
being in relationship with God – Father, Son and Spirit.
Relational love speaks of connection. God says that He grips
our right hand and He won’t let go. Now that is some connection. Our connection
to God is of utmost importance and should be mirrored in our connection to and
relationships with others.
We need to invite God into all the relationships we’re
already in and those we are about to enter. You see, inviting God into our
relational dynamics, allows us to cultivate healthy connections grounded in
mutual respect and understanding.
That “getting along together and understanding of each other”
connection is vital in promoting free and open communication. It is that
freedom and openness that is the key to relationships that thrive.
Relational love is the embodiment of God’s love and must be
present in our relations with others.
Relational love empowers us to respond to situations with
intention rather than reacting impulsively based purely upon an emotional
knee-jerk.
Too often love is lacking when we relate to others.
When “love” is laced with manipulation and is demanding in a
puffed-up way, it’s not relational love.
When “love” is exhausting and emotionally draining, it’s not
relational love.
When “love” is driven by envy or jealousy, it’s not
relational love.
There is no deceit, paranoia, betrayal and confusion in love;
if there is then it’s not relational love.
When “love” is unsafe, it’s not relational love.
When “love” is weaponized, it’s not relational love.
When “love” is physically, emotionally or verbally abusive,
that’s abuse masquerading as love and that love is not love at all.
When “love” is control disguised as care, it’s not
relational love.
Relational love is not the possibility of love; it is
authentic love. It is love that is gentle, kind, giving, forgiving, nurturing,
thoughtful, honest, helpful, safe, caring, trustworthy, selfless, grounded, devoted,
loyal, committed, grateful, playful, happy and most importantly, rooted in God.
Seeing all our relationships through the lens of authentic love can transform our interactions into opportunities for spiritual growth, not just for ourselves but for those around us as well.
Beloved, the love we feel for our family and friends is relational love that comes easily, but relational love which concerns people in general, does not come naturally to us, it’s not automatic; we must rely on Spirit to develop relational love within us for all people.
It’s that love that causes us, like the “Good Samaritan” of Luke
10:25-37, to be willing to help and offer care to a stranger.
It’s that love that feeds our need to connect with other
people and in certain instances, to find ways to stay connected.
It’s that love that leads us to get involved in others’
lives in a meaningful way, genuinely sharing their concerns and engaging in the
things they enjoy.
It’s that love that healthy relationships are built upon,
both physical and spiritual.
Without relational love, our message of God’s love will carry
no weight because there’ll be no relationship behind the words. Jesus related
to individuals and then met their spiritual needs, and He is our example to
follow.
Amen †
Shelley Johnson “Relational Love” ©2026 April 28, 2026
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