Religion, Relationship, and Revelation

Religion is not necessarily a bad word. People do lots of things religiously; brush their teeth, work out, watch TV, eat, and on and on. What does it mean to do something religiously? It simply means to do it regularly and as a matter of course. It's a habit; it's expected, and it's okay to do things that way. But is it okay to be religious in our relationships?

Maybe, but maybe not. I religiously tuck my kids in bed. I religiously wash the breakfast dishes for my family in the morning. I religiously balance our family checkbook and pay the bills. I religiously buy birthday presents for my family. But wait a minute... do they really want me to do those things out of habit and obligation, or do they want me to do them out of love?

I believe they want me to do them out of love, and love is relational. I think it's okay to brush your teeth religiously, but not to give birthday presents that way. Gifts are an act of love. My wife would never want me to buy a dozen roses on her birthday and say, "Here you go honey. It's your birthday, I HAD to buy you something..." She would not appreciate that; she would resent it. No, she wants me to get exited about the gift, to pick out something special that she wants, and to make a big deal about giving it to her. Why? She wants me to love her and to show that love. And I want to love her and to show that love.

That's what God wants. He does not want us going through the motions "religiously" just for habits sake. If we do it out of habit and not out of love God also resents it in a way. He will not accept our worship on those terms. It does matter what we do but it also matters why we do it.

Religion for the sake of being religious, what I call "religiosity," is a stench to God. Religiosity is our attempt to control God by our acts and behaviors. But God will not be controlled any more than He exercises His sovereignty to control us in that way. He could force us to love Him and do certain things, but He does not. Why do we think our little religious things will likewise force God to love us and do certain things?

Relationship on the other hand is the flow of love between two persons. It's communal; a two way street. Our "religion," the things we do, must flow out of our relationship with God. And this relationship is a result of the way God reveals Himself to us.

I mention this in Exodus because throughout the book, even up to the Ten Commandments and the giving of the law, God is revealing Himself. He reveals Himself in order to establish a relationship with His people, not a religion for the sake of religion.

God continues to reveal Himself to those in relationship with Him, even as we reveal ourselves to Him. It's not that He doesn't know us, but it's that through our acts of faith we grow to know that He knows....us, intimately and personally.

So how about it? Religion or relationship?