What is REALLY important?

The hubby and I watched "Angels and Demons" late last night. I realize this is a controversial film among the "Christian" community, but it got my thought processes going and sparked a very interesting conversation that lasted most of the night in the form of pillow talk for us.

I got to thinking about the differences in beliefs among different denominations of "Christians". I mean, I may not AGREE with all of the core beliefs of Catholicism, but does that mean that Catholics aren't Christians? Are they going to hell because they don't interpret the Bible the way I do? Are Baptists going to Hell because they don't believe you can "lose" your salvation? Are Methodists going to Hell because they believe you CAN lose your salvation? Are Mormons going to Hell because of what they believe? These are things you'll have to answer for yourself. I'm not interjecting any of my opinions into those topics. Seriously... is all of this really IMPORTANT?

Here's where I'm going with this though. What is that God expects of us? Does He expect us to really sit and hash out these differences of opinion amongst one another? I personally LOATHE religion. And, to be perfectly honest, Christianity IS a religion. It's no different than Catholicism, Mormonism, etc in that sense. It is guided by a set of Divinely inspired but man enforced rules and guidelines. In lieu of being called a "Christian", I think I prefer to simply be called a child of God.

Why did God create us? What was His motivation behind suddenly, after how many gazillion bazillion years, did He decide that He wanted to create this planet, and these people? I like to think that maybe, just maybe, He might have been lonely? I mean, yes, He had the hosts of angels, and the Son and Holy Spirit... but how long is talking to yourself fun? LOL! (God also has a sense of humor, ok! Look around you!) I like to think that He longed for companionship outside of His immediate surroundings. He *IS* a relational God. How did He know that when He created man, that man needed companionship? If He had never known that loneliness, then how did He know man would experience it? He DID create us after His own image! So... now that I've worked through that train of thought for you... on to my main point...

What is it that God REALLY wants from us? Does He want us to debate on and spend so much time trying to come up with and argue "doctrine"? Or does He simply want us to: 1. Acknowledge that He is God, the ALMIGHTY creator of Heaven and Earth.
2. Understand that He exists Omnipotently as 3 parts: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Father, who created us, and loves us unconditionally. God the Son, who took on flesh, and came to earth, and died a horrible, painful death to pay the price for our sins, take the keys of hell, and make a way for us to go to Heaven through His sacrifice. And, God the Holy Spirit, who lives within us, convicting us, guiding us, and urging us onward in the way of the Cross.
3. Understand that the ONLY way to Heaven is through the acceptance of Christ's sacrifice. To acknowledge that we are sinners, and no one enters the gates of Heaven without repenting their sins and accepting His gift of salvation. Works do not save you, but accepting Christ does.
4. That while works do not save you, if you have accepted Christ as your personal savior, then you will want to live a pure and Holy life that would make your "Daddy" proud :)

But, most importantly... I believe with all my heart, that while all of these things are critical to being a blood bought child of God... above all else, He wants us to have a RELATIONSHIP with Him. He wants us to fall in love with Him. He wants us to forsake ourselves, give Him all of who we are, and LOVE HIM like He loves us! If we follow that firstly, then all the rest will just follow. He knows our heart. He knows our emotions. He knows our trials. What He wants is for us to love Him enough to trust Him with those things. And to share His love with those we come in contact with. There is no better witness to the unsaved than to simply show them the love of God. If you truly are in a close, loving relationship with your "Daddy", then His love will shine through you onto those you come into contact with, and they WILL notice. We "Christians" just spend too much time worrying about all of the little silly things, and not enough time with our Daddy, taking in all that He has for us. To spend time seeking His guidance through the reading of His word (I'm SUPER guilty of not doing this!), to spend time on our face in absolute awe and adoration of His mighty power and love, and to spend time just talking to Him. Getting to know Him :) Crawl up in His lap and sit a while :) You won't be disappointed!

This entire process was encouraged on by a song by Jason Gray called "More Like Falling In Love". Below are the lyrics to this song. I encourage purchasing his album :) I absolutely LOVE every single song on this album!

"More Like Falling In Love"
Artist: Jason Gray

Give me rules
I will break them
Give me lines
I will cross them
I need more than a truth to believe
I need a truth that lives, moves, and breathes
To sweep me off my feet
It ought to be

More like falling in love
Than something to believe in
More like losing my heart
Than giving my allegiance
Caught up, called out
Come take a look at me now
It's like I'm falling, oh
It's like I'm falling in love

Give me words
I'll misuse them
Obligations
I'll misplace them
'Cause all religion ever made of me
Was just a sinner with a stone tied to my feet
It never set me free
It's gotta be

CHORUS

...It's like I'm falling in love, love, love
Deeper and deeper
It was love that made
Me a believer
In more than a name, a faith, a creed
Falling in love with Jesus brought the change in me

CHORUS

By: Jason Gray and Jason Ingram