[no need for religion]

The last few days I've had several surprising conversations with friends about religion, and it seems to me that no one likes it. Truthfully, I have to say I agree.

Religion makes life into a list of "dos" and "don'ts".

It stuffs our ideas of a higher power into a being who is distant, unapproachable, and disinterested in our day-to-day affairs.

Religion traps people in indifference. You don't need to experience God, for routine will do the trick.

It's conditional.

It's monotonous.

It's ever so boring and brainless and unstimulating and emotionless and why do we need to let religion affect us when our physical needs are provided for, we have plenty of dreams for our lives and frankly, we're quite short on time these days.

As I was visiting with an international friend, I realized that the belief system she was raised in only offered this. God showed me that intellect, culture and routine only go so far in comparing religions, for at the end of the day, you can know everything and still have no faith in anything.

But testifying to a relationship with a God who is not distant? That's my witness. Speaking about a God I can meet with and experience and wrestle with and return love to? Sharing a personal struggle and how God walks me through that and slowly changes my heart to see it as He sees it? Those things are my witness too.

We could debate all night and day about the differences between religions. And there are just as many as there are similarities. But something you cannot debate is personal testimony, when someone shares how they've experienced a relationship with God that is not founded on fear or culture or rights or trying to please and appease a holy God.

Truth is, I never will. Truth is, God knew we never could. And that leads us to the cross where the world's relationship with God is forever, radically changed.

I don't think religion has done a whole lot for this world. It traps us in culture. Traps us in routine. Traps us in fear about what others think of us and whether we've measured up to God's standards.

But God? He's not about any of that. In Christ, we are made right before Him. We are loved as we come, cherished as a son or daughter, freed from self-condemnation and all the sin that entangles us.

Can we believe God doesn't want our religion? Our worship attendance? Our thin love? Our charity? Our can drives? Our cheap wall hangings? Our committee meeting hours? Our service hours? Our hypocrisy? Can we believe there is something more to God than a simply a list of "do's" and "don'ts"?

"Rend your heart and not your garments," the prophet Joel wrote to a culture where sorrow was outwardly shown by tearing your clothes. "Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love." [joel 2:13]

Gracious. Compassionate. Slow to anger. Abounding in love. Let those soak in.

God doesn't need our religion world. No one does. No one seems to like it. But I am convinced we need a relationship with Him. I'm convinced He desires that and wants to meet us where we are now so we can experience Him in a way religion will never allow. That He wants to walk through life beside us - sometimes coaxing on, sometimes slamming doors shut that we liked open, sometimes carrying us when our feet refuse to go, sometimes just being present. But always present. Always fighting for us. Let us not refuse the invitation.