Ignore Religion

 Blessed are you who give yourselves over to God, turn your backs on the world’s “sure thing,” ignore what the world worships; the world’s a huge stockpile of God-wonders and God-thoughts. Nothing and no one compares to you! I start talking about you, telling what I know, and quickly run out of words. Neither numbers nor words account for you. Doing something for you, bringing something to you—that’s not what you’re after. Being religious, acting pious—that’s not what you’re asking for. (Psalm 40:4-6)

If you are like me, you almost get speechless when you consider the wonder and power of our God. That is okay because the words we use to proclaim the things we know about God pale in comparison to who he is, the power he possesses, and the intensity of his love for us. If you find yourself speechless at times, don't fret - it is the perfect way to worship at his feet! Just 'give yourself over' to that sense of his presence and bask in just being there. 

Ignore what the world worships and you are sure to be labeled as 'odd' or 'out there'. Why? The world doesn't understand the mystery of God's grace, his goodness, or his peace. They don't 'get' what we see in 'all this religion'. They have absolutely no idea it isn't 'religion' we have - it is God's presence we possess. He is 'with us' - Emmanuel - God With Us. It would also be right to say he is "God WITHIN us". No wonder it leaves us speechless!

Doing and bringing suggest actions on our part to get something from God, or to entice him to act a certain way. The fact of the matter is there is nothing God doesn't already have, nor is there anything we can do to convince him to act a certain way. His desire is that we just fall deeply in love with him and then let that love fashion us into the most beautiful creation. Religious people aren't really 'speechless' before God - they find ways to talk 'about' him - but they truly don't 'know him' all that well.

Nothing and no one compares to you - words cannot explain what that really means. The mind has a hard time not 'comparing' God to something or someone. We NEED to figure this stuff out, don't we? It is like we crave a way of explaining God. I guess that may be why he gave us a living and breathing example - Christ. In Christ's coming to this earth, walking amongst us for a season of time, we have a way of understand God a little bit better, but we still don't 'explain God' because our words don't even come close to 'explaining' grace. Some things we just need to accept with the heart and leave the understanding to God. Just sayin!