it's the heart with which you do it.
What we believe in is not the religion of Christianity. It's the relationship with Christ.
Pastor Albert reminded us at the reunion.
The other week I got up early for school and as I was waiting for the bus I looked up at the sun. It was being blocked by this really tall tree. God always speaks to me in metaphors with the sun. So it was like God was the Light (sun) and this tree was blocking it from FULLY shining on me. And I took it as some sort of sign. Like... there's a "tree" in my life blocking me from God. So I immediately thought, "what is my solution?" -- Chop it down, of course!
Of course NOT.
So I thought, "but trees are good! They give you oxygen and provide home for animals, etc." And so I realized... this tree represented all the things I DO. All the motions I go through, all the "religious" things -- praise team, BASIC, KCF, singing, reading the bible, praying, doing Christian-y things, not swearing, being "good". And I was sick of it. Because I lost touch with my relationship with God and doing all those things without the love of Christ compelling me and without the Spirit of God guiding me, it was just draining and all in vain.
I wanted to drop everything. No, really, I did. SCREW THAT. I wanted what really mattered, what was real. A true, genuine relationship with God -- which is what started the whole thing anyway. But what I learned was that dropping everything or cutting off the tree wasn't the solution. Because it's not the deed that makes it religious. It's what heart we do them with, with what motive and priority we do those things with that makes it "religious".
I realized I need to move my lazy butt and stand in front of the tree. Because what God wants is not my sacrifices or offerings, but he wants ME first -- a love relationship with me. And that tree (whatever it may represent) is a gift from God - He planted it and made it grow, even if we watered it and nourished it. The 'tree' is good. Worship, prayer, musical praise, reading the Bible -- is GOOD -- but we need to remember the heart of it all.
An exerpt. From a note from me to you.
It's amazing, sometimes, how much I learn from my own words. I guess I could really take my own advice at times.
Pastor Albert reminded us at the reunion.
The other week I got up early for school and as I was waiting for the bus I looked up at the sun. It was being blocked by this really tall tree. God always speaks to me in metaphors with the sun. So it was like God was the Light (sun) and this tree was blocking it from FULLY shining on me. And I took it as some sort of sign. Like... there's a "tree" in my life blocking me from God. So I immediately thought, "what is my solution?" -- Chop it down, of course!
Of course NOT.
So I thought, "but trees are good! They give you oxygen and provide home for animals, etc." And so I realized... this tree represented all the things I DO. All the motions I go through, all the "religious" things -- praise team, BASIC, KCF, singing, reading the bible, praying, doing Christian-y things, not swearing, being "good". And I was sick of it. Because I lost touch with my relationship with God and doing all those things without the love of Christ compelling me and without the Spirit of God guiding me, it was just draining and all in vain.
I wanted to drop everything. No, really, I did. SCREW THAT. I wanted what really mattered, what was real. A true, genuine relationship with God -- which is what started the whole thing anyway. But what I learned was that dropping everything or cutting off the tree wasn't the solution. Because it's not the deed that makes it religious. It's what heart we do them with, with what motive and priority we do those things with that makes it "religious".
I realized I need to move my lazy butt and stand in front of the tree. Because what God wants is not my sacrifices or offerings, but he wants ME first -- a love relationship with me. And that tree (whatever it may represent) is a gift from God - He planted it and made it grow, even if we watered it and nourished it. The 'tree' is good. Worship, prayer, musical praise, reading the Bible -- is GOOD -- but we need to remember the heart of it all.
An exerpt. From a note from me to you.
It's amazing, sometimes, how much I learn from my own words. I guess I could really take my own advice at times.
