Thought for Today: “Relationship over Religion”

Given enough time, religion can squeeze the life out of reality. Throughout time, both before Jesus and afterwards, religion has taken the wonderful grace God has extended and boxed it up into meaningless and powerless rituals.

Instead, Jesus wants to bring us into a living and loving relationship with Him. When we come together, it is His desire to give us His grace, mercy, and Holy Spirit power so our times together will have true meaning and bring real peace.

To the religious Jesus said, “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.” (Matthew 23:13)

Yet to the Scribe that asked Jesus what the greatest commandment, Jesus said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” (Mark 12:34), when the Scribe said, “To love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” (Mark 12:33)

Therefore, for God it is all about our relationship with Him, not the religious rules and traditions we follow.