How Is Your Relationship With God?

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.
Galatians 2:20

In the marketplace, we all want the most in exchange for our money. We prefer to give up as little as possible while obtaining the maximum possible gain. Some people carry this over into their relationship with God. They want bargain religion – religion that requires them to give up as little as possible – religion that fits their lifestyles and their beliefs. They don’t want to be bothered with adjusting to the Word of God. They want the form of godliness without entering into a relationship with God. Some religions may be a bargain, but a true relationship with God always has a cost.

So, if you are looking for bargain religion —one that costs you little to nothing— realize that being a disciple of Jesus comes at a cost! Jesus wants to have first place in your life. He didn’t give His life to obtain the silver medal of your devotion…He wants the gold (Matthew 10:37-39)!

God gives us free will to choose to be in relationship with Him; He never forces himself on us. He wants us to respond with our best out of a desire to please Him. God considers obedience as a sign that we love Him enough to trust His judgement as to what is best for us.
What God asks of us is profound, yet simple and to the point:

“’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’” (Matthew 22:35-39).

Not only does He ask for all your heart, soul and mind, but He also asks you to submit to His yoke (Matthew 11:28-30). His purposes for us are greater than we can conceive, so we must exercise faith and trust Him completely.

He created us; He knows that nothing else other than the fulfilment of what He has created us to be will truly satisfy us. There is nothing in this world that can ever fulfil our inner longing to belong and have purpose, except being conformed to God’s purposes. But conformance to God limits our freedom, doesn’t it?

When people consider freedom, they think it is the absence of boundaries and the ability to control one’s own destiny and make one’s own choices.

In reality, freedom is the absence of that which enslaves, manipulates or dominates us. As free men and women, we have the confidence to be who we are destined to be and the ability to do what we have been created by Him to do.

True Christianity comes with a cost. God’s cost was His one and only Son, and it will cost you everything to follow Him.

We must not settle for bargain religion; neither for a lukewarm heart nor a watered-down version of Christianity. Committing to a deeper relationship with God is well worth the cost.

Will you choose to make a total commitment of your best to Him today? Now, that’s the choice-driven life!

Today’s Bible Reading:

Ezek 28-30; John 10

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