Obligation

We don't really like the word "obligation" when it comes to our faith and walk together with God, do we? I remember going to mass every week because it was our obligation. I remember going to confession out of obligation. The different sacraments and even our religious training as a child was more of an obligation. The problem with the word obligation is that it communicates the wrong thing about our walk together with God.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation--but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. (Romans 8:12-13 NIV)

In our household, we try to communicate what God communicates in Scripture. So, whenever our children would say things like, "Do we have to go to church today?" Our response would be something like, "We don't have to, we get to go to church. (Yes, we also would correct the use of the term church. We don't go to church. We are the church.)

The point is simply this: God wants to be with us and that is good. The real question is whether we want to be with God or not. Before coming home to the Father through the Son and receiving the Holy Spirit, we were under an "obligation" to temptation and sin. We had strayed away from God and no longer had God backing us up when we wanted to fight evil in our lives. Now that we have the Holy Spirit of God, we have God's backing to fight away temptation and sin. We don't have to fight evil. We get to fight evil - and God is there to help.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-8 NIV)

How about you? Do you go to church services, Bible studies, read your Bible, or pray out of obligation? What would help you see it differently? How does it feel to know you get to be with God, fight away evil, and that God's got your back? Do you enjoy walking together with God?