My Christianity Habit

A couple of weeks ago, my pastor made a comment about the "sub-culture" of Christianity. This comment, though hardly the point of his sermon, has stuck with me ever since.

The sub culture of Christianity...

the music "we" listen to
the phrases "we" glibly throw around...knowing others 'like us' will get it
the emblems on "our" cars
the books "we" buy by the bag full showing how educated and Christ-like we really are (because I just know Jesus cased Barnes and Noble looking for the latest book telling Him how to get it all together...or affirming that He already had it down)

So I am totally not making fun of my brothers and sisters in the faith. At all. This was simply a highly convicting moment for me.

You see, there isn't anything wrong with any of that. I'm not giving up my Toby Mac or love of reading. So why is this bothering me so much? Those things are all good things. But they aren't so great if they've replaced my 'first love.' Jesus. Have I replaced truly worshipping God by turning Christianity into...a habit?

I think there are many seasons that I've done just that...and I think I was just caught in one otherwise that single comment wouldn't have rattled around in this ol' skull of mine so persistently.

If we aren't very careful, we can let the joy of our relationship with Christ turn into simply another list of things to do and not to do. Tallying them up at the end of the week...making sure that we've 'acted' more like a Christian than not.

Where is the awe in that? The utter amazement at an amazing God.  I can sing along to lyrics that proclaim His greatness. Or I can read books that talk about how good He is. But do I stop to meditate on His truths, His Word myself? In this fast-food, instant gratification society have I succombed to letting others do my thinking for me?

I think I have sometimes. But I am so thankful that He is faithful and doesn't let me get too comfortable in this spot. He loves me too much for that.

Christianity isn't about what we do or don't do. It isn't about what we look like. Whether we say the "right" things or not. Whether our family measures up to the family sitting in the front pew. Christianity is about a relationship. The only one that matters. The one between us and Jesus. And that is way more fulfilling than a habit.