It's Personal for The Father & The Son

For years between my youth, when I was fully involved with church and my return to a life with faith, I would often tell anyone who asked that my faith was "personal". Of course that was my way of sidestepping any religious questions from inquiring minds. the funny thing is.... our faith
is personal, as in, a personal relationship with Jesus. That little thing, a personal relationship, is difficult for many to grasp, when in reality relationships are the one thing we do with ease..... "please Father give me the words".

You see, religious types are so often very much tied to being "religious"... which can be a very dogmatic and hard way to live. You've seen these folks, they don't smile and there appears to be no joy in their lives. I've heard a Christian comic (and yes there are some) say that when these dour-faced types proclaim to be Christians, he implores them to please not tell anyone because they could scare people away! Having said that let me also muddy the waters of understanding by saying there is a place for the law... but... for Christians IF one lives by the words accredited to and the life exampled by Jesus, Christians would not have a problem with breaking the law.... whether it be God's or man's.

Have you ever done anything that hurt someone who loves you? A parent, a grandparent, spouse, child......a close friend? Hopefully when you realized the hurt you inflicted on them you went to them and asked for their forgiveness. Having done so, you found joy in being reunited with that loved one. (Remember that Sunday school lesson of the prodigal son?) The father in that story was looking for that wayward son to return and when he saw him in the distance the father ran to meet him, embraced him and brought him back into the family... much to the chagrin of the "by the book", legalist, older brother.

I've often told others that our relationship with God is like that... that personal... and that close. Have you ever wondered why God would come to earth, subject Himself to the meanness of this world if He didn't need to?? That's the point....HE NEEDED TO, HE CAME TO MEET US!!! Yes for us... but also from the very beginning He created us to have a relationship with Him.... He desired to have a relationship with us! He loved us before we even knew Him. Isn't that how a family comes into being. I can remember thinking after the birth of our children.... this must be how God loves us.... one day I never knew my son or daughter then the next day,they meant the world to me.

We mean the world to Him.