God's way.
Sometimes an older piece of writing still carries a truth that deserves to be revisited. This reflection is one of those moments—a reminder of how God invites us out of striving and into relationship.
God’s Way
God gave humanity His laws through Moses. In a sense, it was God saying, “If you want to direct your own lives without Me, then here are the laws you must follow. But remember — disobedience has consequences. If you break these laws and ignore the sin that follows, you will not have peace.”
And this is exactly what we see in ourselves. Something within us — our sin nature — makes it impossible to keep God’s laws perfectly. Because of this, we live without peace.
But God, in His wisdom and compassion, did something astonishing. He sent His only Son, Jesus — Yeshua — to earth, becoming human like us. He obeyed every law Father God gave, the very laws we cannot keep. He became the spotless Passover Lamb, taking our punishment upon Himself. He died in our place.
And then the miracle: He did not remain in the grave. On the third day He rose again. Many witnessed Him alive, saw the wounds in His hands, feet, and side, and spoke with Him before He ascended about forty days later.
When Religion Becomes a Recipe
Over time, our religions—even Christian ones—can become like the laws were/are to the Jews. Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, and many others. Each tradition builds its own “recipe” for life:
- Be baptized (and some say only by immersion)
- Attend church every Sunday
- Speak in tongues
- Study the Bible
- Feed the poor
- Tithe
- Visit the sick, the orphans, the widows
None of these things are wrong. They are good things—things we should be doing. The problem is when we treat them like instructions for baking a cake or assembling a bicycle. We try to follow them in our own strength, hoping they will give us the peace or fulfillment we long for. But they don’t. Not by themselves.
God’s Invitation: Union, Not Striving
Through Christ, God offers something far deeper. He says, “Marry Me. Through our union and the power of the Holy Spirit, we will become one.”
In this union, we no longer struggle to do everything on our own. We do them together. As we become one with Him, the things we once strained to do begin to flow naturally.
God becomes our husband, and we become His bride—living in loving submission to Him. His way is easier, and it is the way things were always meant to be. Who knows better than the Creator Himself?
A Closing Prayer
Father God, thank You for inviting us out of striving and into union with You. Teach us to walk not by our own strength but by Your Spirit. Let Your peace replace our anxious efforts, and let Your love shape our lives. Make us one with You, as You intended from the beginning. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
