Do you practice religion?

What a funny and revealing question to ask if someone practices religion. But maybe that’s a normal activity outside my little corner of the world.

Practicing a religion creates an image of rituals, traditions and an adherence to a law or laws that has not relationship, no interaction, no love for real persons. Practicing a religion makes me think of practicing for a sport, an activity, or an upcoming event but never allowing that given circumstance to become a part of you. Because practicing for something is very different than embracing something, becoming something, and allowing that something to become a part of you.

When something is a part of your life, and you embrace it for all it is, it becomes who you are. You don’t simply practice a ritual, but you live a lifestyle. You don’t simply follow a tradition, you know it like the back of your hand. You don’t simply obey a law of the religion because you’re told to do so, but rather you surrender because there’s a higher purpose for the obedience than just the obedience.

So, to answer the question directly, “Do (you) practice religion?” I guess, I’d have to answer in complexity and simplicity, all at the same time.

You see, I’ve fallen in love with a man named Jesus, who is both God and man. I have a relationship with Him. I have embraced His ways as my own, and although, I may fall and don’t get it quite right at times, I keep striving to seek His ways and follow them for the betterment of my life.

Some people might call me religious because I do somethings that are considered traditional, like prayer, church attendance, and paying my tithes. And I do somethings that some would believe to be ritualistic like following certain words of wisdom, listening to preachers, or even things I won’t indulge in.

But I’d have to disagree. Because it’s not about a religion, and it’s not about a tradition; although, those things are attached to the reality of it, I suppose.

It’s all about a relationship with a Savior who has completely changed my life and the trajectory thereof.

It’s all about His knowing every tiny intricate detail of me, my emotions, my thoughts, my being and my beliefs, and He still loves me. It’s all about His knowing me, loving me, and long me enough to never leave me the same.

He invites me into a personal relationship with Him, and my mind cannot even fathom everything about Him. And in exchange for my surrendering my will and ways for His, He gives me eternal life and the promise of heaven that is more beautiful than anything ever imaginable.

He’s amazing.

And I’d encourage all who read this to check Him out for yourself…

“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:16