I'm not really that big on religion. Don't get me wrong, I'm trying to follow Jesus and all. But as we all know it's not about religion, it's about relationship. Saying some prayer or getting sprinkled with any amount of water will not get you into the gates of heaven. A relationship with Him is the ticket.
The theme of relationship is one of the main points in the gospels. There's the whole instance where the guys ask Jesus what's the most important commandment. Jesus says Loving God and loving others. Basically, having a relationship with God and having relationships with others. That's the key to the Kingdom of God. Then there's that part where Jesus tells the folks how they should pray to God. He uses the word Father when talking to God, because that's how he wants us to relate to him. Also the situation when Jesus says anyone that's following Him is his brothers and sisters and mother.
Relationships are complicating. They have the ability to tear us down and lift us up. My New Years resolution is to invest more time in my relationship with God. (In reality, i don't make resolutions. I consider them to be more like things i want to improve upon.)
Relationships with others are quiet different from my relationship with God. I can invest all of the time in the world in a relationship with another person, but if they aren't putting forth any effort the relationship will be going no where. Let's say I'm trying to woo this young woman. Hypothetical of course. (and yes I said woo.) I can call her, and buy her flowers, and spend time with her, cook for her...but if she constantly pushes me away the relationship would be going nowhere. In relationships with others both people have to be invested.
It's different with God though. He's already invested his whole self into a relationship with us. The burden falls on us to make the relationship grow. I drop the ball alot on my relationship with God. I know that praying and reading the Bible are some ways that I can deepen my relationship with Him, but there are more. I think that the whole loving God and loving others are to loves that have to be linked. I can't just love God and not love others. My relationship with God will call me into loving others. My love for God will call me to love my enemy and my neighbor just the same. My love for God will call me to put my love into action when confronted with those affected by poverty, neglect, disease, and war. My love for God will not allow me to sit back and watch injustice go on. My love for God will afffect how I love others.
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