When I was at college there was this huge debate about "religion or relationship." Is it more about one or the other? Our university Chaplin even had a sermon on it saying something I in large part agree with, you can't have one without the other. It's religion AND relationship.
As time has gone on, and my faith in God has grown I've learned even more. I seek a divine RELATIONSHIP with God.
Going further, a religion tends to have the view of being tied down by beliefs. It's the thought of rules and regulations. The very definition is: relating to or believing in a religion, a person bound by monastic vows.
I've said about myself that while I go to a church that is of a denomination my heart is non denominational. You see, a denomination is a further breaking down of the religion of Christianity.
Looking in my library you'll see the same is true on a larger spectrum. I have The Book of Mormon, books on Catholicism and even a few rosaries or chaplets that I use in my prayer life. I have a Jewish Prayer shawl as well. So in my personal walk with God I've taken things from different denominations, or even other religions. No one religion or denomination is correct. We've all got different points and it's important to realize that. So am I saying that practicing religion is wrong? NO!
We just need to be able to have our eyes open instead of closed and often times that's what we let the focus on religion do to us, close our eyes.
It has annoyed me greatly recently that people put so much of a focus on religion to the point that when I say I'm a Christ follower or a lover of Christ I'm suddenly religious, and they turn their nose up at me "Oh, she's one of those!" No, I'm one of Christ's! I have a relationship with my Lord and savior not in one specific way but in many different ways!
It's like being in a relationship with anyone else, My interest in these other things, incorporating my knowledge of Catholicism, Jewish, Mormon and whatever else into my daily walk with God, praying about it and making it personal for my relationship with Him is what keeps our love alive and thriving and not boring and full of rules. I recognize that the Bible says there is only ONE GOD. And that is the ONE GOD I focus on. Just some thoughts I had today.
No comments:
Post a Comment