Religion or Relationship?
For
we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the
law. - Romans 3:28
The
famous British music conductor, Sir Thomas Beecham, didn’t particularly care
for the music of composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. Charged with conducting a Williams symphony, Beecham found himself completely bored
during rehearsals. At one point, he began mindlessly beating time while his
mind went elsewhere.
Once
he noticed the orchestra had stopped playing, he asked the first violinist,
“Why aren’t you playing?” to which the he replied, “It’s finished, Sir Thomas.”
Beecham
looked down at his score. Embarrassed he sighed, “So it is.”
Many
times in the Christian life, it can be easy to simply ‘go through the motions.’
You go to church, you pray, you read your Bible a few times a week, and you’re
left thinking, “Is that it?”
But
the answer is “No.” That’s not it! In fact, God has so much more for you in the
Christian life than simply a list full of tasks you need to complete. He wants
you to have a deep, intimate faith relationship with Him!
Instead
of living a task-focused Christian life, which will inevitably lead to boredom,
focus your faith on having a vibrant faith relationship with you Savior. When
you go from religion to relationship, you’ll experience joy and excitement in
your spiritual life!
Prayer Challenge
Pray
and ask God to show you what it means to focus your faith on relationship with
Jesus instead of on a list of ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts.’
Questions for Thought
Why
do you think many people feel more comfortable having a ‘religion’ than having
a relationship with Jesus?
What
would a more intimate walk with Jesus look like in your life today?