Religion or Relationship

"Religion or Relationship" If you begin to type the phrase in Google, it will finish it for you and produce thousands of references. Over and over it is echoed that Christianity is not about religion it is about relationship. But what does it mean to have a relationship? Many struggle with successful earthly relationships, yet we are to believe that suddenly everyone is carrying on this love affair with God?

How can this possibly be?

How can the man who is afraid to approach a woman sitting across the room boldly approach the living God? Does the woman who has never heard I love you know how to whisper it in God's ear? Should we believe that the men bragging about women that they've never actually slept with are the same ones spending quiet evenings with the Lord? Not to mention the girlfriends who celebrate the freedom that comes with being single then shout about their utter devotion to God.

What does it mean to be in a relationship? 

At any given point of the day, you can find a post with a list of rules about what a person will or will not accept in their relationship. These rules are clearly stated and posted for all to read. Usually, there are 10. This number varies with the specific situation being addressed. A key factor in the list is its ability to be transferred to any individual regardless of their age, sex, or race. These lists are shared repeatedly to the degree that many can readily recite them.

These list remind me of the 10 commandments. You know the original list that stated what God saw as acceptable to be in a relationship with Him. His list varies in length with the situation too, and we all know how to recite those ten. We can find them in every country in the world, but for some reason we no longer think they are required for being in a relationship with God. We have come to view them as religious rules that don't have to be followed because relationship is about love. Well, the status of your relationship with God is measured by how you treat His people. If you expect someone to follow your list to be in a relationship with you, surely that means you will be following His.

Adayinthelife :-)