Religion vs. Spirituality.

HOWDY

It's funny, this is the only night off I have this week, and at the moment I am really tired. Hmm...

Anyway, today I got to talk with someone about "Religion" and the difference that "religion" and what I feel to be a relationship with my Best Friend, Dad, Hero, etc.

The question came up, "What do people do when they find out you are really religious."

I replied with, "I am not religious at all, I love God, those are completely different things!"

The conversation continued, and it got me to the point where I said the word "religion" has nothing to do with your closeness with God."

Any of you bloggers agree with me? What are your thoughts?

Anyway, after that we kind of got into the topic of praying, and how do you feel His love everyday, that real tangible love. For me, it's like a Dad's hug. You ask for it, I don't know, I pray everyday, two sided conversations. You are not going to go to your best friend, cry about all the things that you want or need help with then run away, You are going to let them talk back to you, why not do the same thing with God? And then some people say, but how can god speak to us? Easy... through the bible.

Today during English we were talking a little bit about how the bible is so hard to read, and how it doesn't make sense, that the sentence structure is off. I wanted to jump up and yell, "GET A DIFFERENT TRANSLATION!" Hah, seriously though, check out the message, it makes reading, a whole lot more enjoyable, and easier to understand, it is cool stuff. I mean, God made this bible, for us! To talk... to us! So let US read it! :)

I know I am rambling, but... bare with me?

2 Corinthians 3:16-18---

^16-18Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are—face-to-face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We're free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.

Okay this word, for me, is really the break between religion and real-ness! When people stop faking, and actually let themselves see who God is, and how it is so much more then stain-glassed windows and wine in a glass on Sundays. Personal Question... What the heck is a first communion anyway? I feel like when we actually try with full hearts, that "veil" is destroyed, God is there waiting with open arms. He is constantly reaching out to us, will we stop long enough to reach out to Him? This goes for people who are already "Christians." I think this is the break between Sunday morning "christians" and people who want to be with God. I can't say it much better than those verses. Re-read them. Ask God to show Himself to You, Haha... I guarantee You are in for a treat.

Did any of that make sense? Haha... I'm scared I sound like an old hag,

-Colton