Some special person asked me today, “in my faith journey, is what matters a relationship (with Christ) or a way of life?”

I think Jesus can answer this one best! When the scribes asked Him: "Which commandment is the most important of all?" Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."– Mark 12:24-31

Jesus says that putting your relationship with God should be first and most important, then loving others – or your “way of life.” From my personal experience, I know that when I choose to put my relationship with God (spending time with Him, allowing Him to LOVE me) first in my life, the Christ-like “way of life” pours out without thinking about it.  I really don’t think there is an exact list of what a Christ-like “way of life” even is - I believe God has designed this world to break and soften our hearts so that He can mold them.

I met a missionary family in Northern Ghana, and their theme I have taken on as my own - "Let Him be Lord." We humans try so hard to plan things out - and say - if I could just do this or be that way - then I would glorify God - but who are we to even begin to think that we are worthy of knowing God's plan – the truth is only God is God and we are not. Our faith journey is a refining process - teaching us to give up intellectualizing and to just simply BE in relationship with our heavenly father, and let Him be Lord of our lives. This looks different in every life – each one according to the Lord's sovereign plan. When we give our journeys back to God, He will bless us with peace, love, and joy - just from BEING with Him. But, remember; the Bible says – it takes FAITH - we will never understand it all - even the wise king Solomon wrote about it:

"...he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end." - Ecclesiastes 3:11

So, both living in relationship with God and living out His truth are important - but loving God is first. Making time to receive God’s love is what gives us the ability to love others. So, take some time to get some lovin’ today – so that you can in turn give some lovin’ out!