This is Tearing Us Apart!

Luke 5:36
No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old.

It’s very important in this New Year that you pair up with people who are headed in the same direction as you are. If you have resolved to live for God and to live a righteous life, then you need to make sure that you pair up with people who are trying to do the same. If there is a constant pulling on your heart and against your psyche it could lead to a tear in the fabric of your faith. Mark 10:9 (Amplified Bible) 9What therefore God has united (joined together), let not man separate or divide.Our problem comes when we put relationships together and ask God to bless it after the fact.

In this text the new cloth represents those who belong to Jesus. The old cloth represents those who are religious but don’t have relationship with Jesus Christ. Notice that it is the new cloth that is torn away from its fabric to try and patch up something old. A good indication that you are headed into a wrong relationship this year is when you have to tear yourself away from your supportive network to join yourself to something less vital to cover up for what’s missing in somebody else. Before you leave you must inspect what you cleave to. If you make a thorough inspection before you leave you very well may not cleave because of the material.

Secondarily, the old patch will begin to pull on you. There is no “give” in it. When there is no give and take in a relationship it can pull you away from what’s vital and mess up your newness.

The third sign you may be heading into an unbalanced relationship is that your value systems don’t match. It’s fun at first to find somebody different but similar to you, but when your value system is different there is a pull that will tear you apart.

This year before you get into any new relationships you need to:

1. Measure twice and cut once. Fabric is expensive so you need to make sure you measure what you are getting ready to cut. You don’t want to cut too much and waste material on something that doesn’t work. Measuring twice may mean you date two years instead of one so that you can thoroughly inspect the person you are getting ready to marry.

2. Thoroughly vet potential running mates. When you are on a mission you don’t want your partner’s personality flaws to stop you short of your campaign because of some character flaw. The people you are in relationship with are an extension of you.

3. Be prayerful about partnerships. Jesus prayed all night before he chose his apostles.

4. Don’t cut yourself off from positive praying people for negative people.

5. If you’re in a bad relationship go to counseling to see if the tear can be repaired. You can’t change the other person you can only change yourself. There must be “give” on both sides for there not to be a tear.

Dear God, match us up to the right people this year. I cannot tear myself away from this valuable network of a purpose-filled life for people who just pull on me but don’t pour into me. This year I will not be torn in my allegiance to you. I’m choosing the right people with the right material.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.