Religion....Relation........

Got Religion? Today the topic of spirituality is booming. Drop by the religion section of your local bookstore. If there is an idea, there is a religion celebrating it. When asked if they believe in God, most folks say "yes....sorta". The definition of 'god' is as diverse as the population, but then you knew that.

How about within the church? Does the definition of 'God' vary with the liturgies? Does the average church member know how to describe his 'God'? More pointedly, does the average church member KNOW his 'God'? Is God in charge of the religious, or do the religious try to define Him?

We know that relationship with God through Jesus Christ is the true religion. Not a building, not a denomination, not a ceremony. Getting to know--truly KNOW--God is what it should be all about. Not just using God for our own ends. But then, you know that, too!

"You are a letter from Christ, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the Living God--not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts." II Corinthians 3: 2-3

So then, ought we church folks-- those of us who claim religion; ought we not be taking that 'letter from Christ' outside of the church walls and into our communities? Not just with feeding programs for the poor, or mission offerings sent abroad, but in our homes, neighborhoods, at our jobs and in our schools? At the park and at the movies. In line at the grocery store. When ordering from a waitress in your favorite restaurant. Is it so hard to give an encouraging word and tell someone--some stranger-- that you will pray for them? Not right there to scare them to death, but as you go home and all the next week. That whining guy in line ahead of you at the jiffy store, the kid who is dressed all in black and has perfected a perpetual scowl. Eye contact and a smile are easy and cost nothing--and often those who need it most have expressions and clothes that would drive the average religious person away. I have seen the look of astonishment and then the small grin on the lips of one of these who least expected an old lady to say 'Hi' or smile and not glare!

So, what will it be--religion or relation? What will you share? We religious people often form little clubs and fellowships of our own. Oh, we invite folks to join us, but on our terms. If religion lives in a special building, there will only be room for just so many. What about the rest?

GOSPEL "Lite"!

Be honest now, how many of you use "lite" products? You search for the "heart healthy" labels and the "no sugar added" comments on ice cream cartons? Me, too. But most of those "lite" products or dietary wonder foods taste like styrofoam or something worse. Give me good old calories and a full tummy any day. My cardiologist probably wouldn't agree, but I like my foods to be real, honest-to-goodness fattening. When they start legislating dietary requirements in restaurants, I am in big trouble!

How do you like your GOSPEL? With apologies to the publishing company, Gospel Light, which produces wonderful kids programs for Vacation Bible Schools among other things, I was wondering about GOSPEL Lite! How many of us take our Gospel "lite"? We aren't crazy about those hard-hitting sermons or devotionals that hit us at home where our flesh lives. Go one step further, how about sharing the Gospel? Do you go "lite" on that?

We like to think that "friendship evangelism" is where it is at! Just live your life before others in a good Christian manner and they will be saved. Yes; and No. Sometimes you have to speak up. Sometimes you have to intentionally pray to be courageous enough to speak up. Sometimes you have to mention the name of Jesus out loud. It ain't easy. We all to often take our Gospel "lite".

We are an obese nation so the statistics tell us. We are not so 'fat' when it comes to sharing our faith. Food for thought! xo