Religion vs. Faith

At some indeterminable point along my Journey, I began the struggle with religion and faith. I may have mentioned this in an earlier posting, but I would like to revisit the topic at this point in my journey. (I have a feeling that it will be something that I constantly struggle with, if a little less as I go further along the way.)

My family and I are visiting my parents this week while on vacation, so I actually have time to READ! The book that I was prompted to read by some very dear friends of mine has turned this vacation into a spritual rejuvination that I never expected. In two days, I read The Shack by William Paul Young. To anyone that reads this blog and finds that they have much in common with it, please read this book!

As I discussed before, part of the reason I did not consciously begin my journey earlier was my aversion to religion and structure, and thou shalt not's...which if you know me at all, I'm a follow the rules, respect authority whether it makes sense or not kind of girl...but something really felt wrong about all of it. If my God, our God created us out of love and Jesus died for every one of our sins, then why do we have to follow all of these rules? Why do we have to dress in our Sunday best? Why all the rituals? Why all of the FEAR of disappointing God? (When we all know, or should know, that the only "one" disappointed is the prim and proper old lady in the front row that has a flask in her white beaded clutch.)

The truth, as I see it, is that all that doesn't matter. What matters is that we were created in God's image to be His children. To be loved by Him and to spread His love, not our religion, to one another. I have been so uplifted by my growing relationship with God. I have known grace, not guilt, through Jesus Christ. I have witnessed mountains being moved and assistance being sent from none other than God Himself, and most recently, I have heard the unmistakeable voice of the Holy Spirit, calling me to take a step.

As human beings become more and more enlightened, we see that religion doesn't matter in this relationship with God. Those of us that see that, take two paths...either we choose to make God insignificant in our life, punishing Him (and ultimately ourselves) for the sins of our predecessors, and never bother to know Him...or we chose to find a way that we can bond with Him, to feel his love and BE his love everyday.

The Shack addresses this topic, and so many others, more eloquently than I ever could. All I know is that as I read it, I felt that the words that were spoken by God (in several forms) were as true as the words written in red. I found my soul screaming "Yes, yes, that's exactly it!" as I read Jesus' perspective on man-made religion, institutions and politics. I found God's perspective on our judgement of each other and of Him, stinging and relieving at the same time. I can't wait to read it again.

I hope that people will comment on this post and this book, so that I might learn even more from it. To my two special people that I know have read it, we are sooooo getting together to hash through it! :D