Christianity has been a source to guide the behavior of man since the very beginning. And in the very beginning God wanted to know those who He loved and for them to love Him back. Throughout the Bible we read of people trusting God and asking His direction with a desire to follow the path God directs them too. We see this with Abraham, Moses, Jacob, Joseph, Esther, and many others. What made their walk with God so special was that they cultivated a relationship with Him. They talked to Him and more importantly they heard His voice, it was a conversation. A conversation that started because they trusted and believed that God would answer.
The thing is that while some cultivated a relationship others focused on religion. Why do I say that? Because religion is based on a set of practices or beliefs where a relationship is an interrelatedness. We see throughout the Bible people needing practices to feel close to or foster direction from God and being the loving God He is, He gave them what they asked for in the Ten Commandments. He gave them rules to practice and live by so that could be close to Him. The thing is those rules became the focus instead of them seeking a conversation with God. Over time man focused so much on the practice that they lost sight of the relationship.
Then we see where the Sadducees and the Pharisees took the Commandments and added more and more to those rules to serve to direct behavior. The thing is God wants to direct our behavior but not thorough following rules but by through a conversation He wants us to have with Him. The Old Testament is filled with examples of Religion and Relationship. Religion many times lead people astray because they sought to feel good, and religion does not give that sense of peace they sought. The peace they sought only comes from a relationship. Those who had a relationship with God reaped so many blessings because they cultivated a conversation that gave God the opportunity to know their heart. We see God called Father and those who follow Him are called His children, which points to a relationship.
In the New Testament, God so wants a relationship to be the norm that He sent Jesus to bridge the gap. Jesus gave us a glimpse of God’s desires for us. Jesus showed us in His life what having a relationship with God could reap. He gave us a framework to have a conversation with God and He starts it with Our Father who art in Heaven. Our Father, a Father to His children, and if you are a parent, you know what kind of love a parent has for their child. As a parent we want out children to come to us, come to us for love, comfort, direction, safety, correction, praise, and know the peace that we are there for them. God wants all these things for His children, but you need to open the door to having a conversation with Him. A conversation that will, if you are consistent, allow your relationship with Him to grow. A relationship that will bring love, comfort, direction, safety, correction, praise, and most importantly peace. A peace that surpasses all understanding.
Please know this is not to say that we will not have hard times but what it means is that we are never alone, it also means that God will be there to help you through whatever hard times comes your way. He will hold you through it like a good Father.
So, I say to you, ask, and it will be given; seek and yeah shall find; knock and it will be opened to you” – Luke 11:9.