So, I have been thinking about how we live under grace since Jesus sacrificed himself on the cross. How amazing is that? God loves us just that much.
I envision the Bible as a love story between a creator and his creation. God made us to be in perfect communion with him, yet we screwed it up. Sin entered the world and now everyone is born with this inevitable desire to sin. The Old Testament highlights a lot of ways that humanity has struggled with making a mess of our purpose. Then the New Testament introduces a redeemer so powerful that he alone can conquer sin and its punishment of death. This redeemer paid the ultimate price for sin when he chose to die. Now, creation is able to commune with God again the way it was intended (although this will not come to fruition until the kingdom of God is established).
So, I have been thinking about how we live by grace instead of under “the law.” Okay… what I am hearing is that all those rules that will get me into heaven or keep me out of hell are not necessarily necessary. For example, as a child, I was led to believe that if I did not read my Bible (a minimum of one chapter) and pray daily… and I died, I would go to hell. Grace teaches that it is not about the rituals; rather, it is about the relationship. I should desire this relationship with God, instead of trying to force it.
Now here is my dilemma. Maybe I am not strong enough in my relationship with God, but I have found myself rejecting those things that I was “required” to do in order to have a relationship with God. I find myself struggling to pray and read my Bible. I sometimes feel that I learn more from reading a book about someone else’s struggle with spirituality. I find myself more likely to connect with God through conversations with others, blogging, journaling, music, or movies. I feel like I have been able to give all the “right answers” for so long that I have forgotten the question. So my question is… how do I apply grace to my life without taking this relationship with God for granted? How do I overcome what has jaded me for so many years?