Following...

I'm currently in Pennsylvania. Decided to take a few days to fellowship with a good friend. It's been an awesome journey so far and I'm looking forward to the next couple of days.

Some people will wonder what would possibly lead me to drive almost 5 hours away from home just to "hang out." My reply is very simple: I'm just following the Lord.

Following the Lord is the most natural thing we can do. It's why we were created. Anyone who offers you another dissertation on life is either filling you with religious jargon or humanism. When you read the creation story and you understand the heart of God in the Gospel, it has always been about relationship.

Religion will make it seem unnatural. The rules, regulations, and expectations approach will not bring you closer to the Lord. It will only serve to clone you into a their mold of Christianity. This mold speaks of relationship but really does not understand grace. What we miss out on is the opportunity to know Him. And knowing Him is much different than reciting a list of rules or maintaining a certain theological mindset.

Humanism provides a mindset where it's all about us. Our experiences in life, our pleasures, and our own pursuit of what we believe to be right and good. The humanistic approach may bring you to a better understanding of your own beliefs but will not help you experience the Lord. It should at least make you ask the question: Where is the balance?

The balance is found in following the Lord. It's allowing Him to speak to you through His Word. It's experiencing the reality of the Holy Spirit in your life. It is redeeming the time, the relationships, and the opportunities that the Lord has given you. It's discovering Him in the most insignificant places. And it's experiencing His nature through the people around you. That's why I'm in PA. I've found a friend who is leading a community of believers into the same experience. It's about being around people who are saturated in the love of God, passionate about His grace, and enjoying the journey of becoming all that God has created us to be.

We will not find this in a structured setting. Even if that setting may help us feel good about fulfilling some sort of moral obligation. I'm not saying that you will not experience God in that, I'm simply saying that God has so much more for you to experience. Follow Him. Pursuing Him in the same way He has pursued you will unlock your destiny. It will allow you to see life through His eyes. It will also help you feel good about life and yourself.

I don't know where the journey will take you but I do know that it is worth it. You may be misunderstood but that's o.k. You may be misrepresented but you can find security in Him. You may be misinterpreted by your questions, statements, and the challenges you present to others; just know that the Lord knows exactly who you are and exactly what you are after. Are you ready for the greatest adventure any of us could live in? You will find it in the following. Actually...you will find HIM!!!