HomeWord - Oct. 25, 2006
The Gospel is about Relationship!
This devotional was written by Robin Dugall
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” John 21:15
Today, it seems like we’re all looking for quick relief, a “three step program,” or an easy fix to whatever dilemma we face. Recently, one of my friends, who’s in college and has a crush on a young lady, asked me, “How do I get this girl to fall in love with me?” Tough question, isn’t it? In fact, the longer I thought, the more I realized that there are some things in life where formulas and easy answers will never exist.
Some people want to make living life as a Christ-follower easy. In other words, some will say, “just do this,” or “follow these four easy steps and…” In fact, there are many, many things you can believe about being a Christian that won’t actually DO anything or make a substantial impact in your life. As I heard not too long ago, just because you might believe you are a car and live in a garage, doesn’t make you an automobile. Here’s an important question for you: What is essential in being a Christian? Is it following the 10 Commandments? Is it reading the Bible or going to church? Those things are important, but they don’t make you a follower of Jesus. What matters is a RELATIONSHIP with God. In some people’s minds, Christianity is a series of ideas that a person must agree with, as opposed to having a relationship with God. The Gospel is about relationship. The Gospel is about a Kingdom with a King (Jesus). The Gospel is more about relationship than it is about ideas.
Here’s something to think about today: the word “believe” is an ancient compounding of the verb BE and the noun LIFE. In other words, to believe is to BE LIVE…to live your being…to live what fills your heart. The issue is not merely what you are going to believe, but whom you going to love. That is why sin is not primarily rebellion against God’s laws or an assault on moral principles…it is primarily a violation of our relationship with God. Sin is not just a breaking of commands; sin is a breaking of relationship. When you sin, you wound the ONE you love. That’s why the solution to sin isn’t to get more education, pass more laws, or have more willpower, but rather to seek reconciliation to God. Never forget that the Good News, the Gospel, is all about relationship!
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GOING DEEPER:
1. It has been said, “Being a Christian is more about being in love than it is about baking cookies for the one you love.” How is that true? What happens when we only see our faith as a bunch of rules or “easy steps”?
2. What is your relationship with God like? How is it truly a relationship? How does it change you on a daily basis?
FURTHER READING:
John 4:1-38; Psalm 139
Encouraging Parents…Building Families |
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