Decades ago a well-meaning Christian friend said to me that in order to be a good Christian, I must read the Bible and pray every day.
Now, I am not one that likes conditions attached to something. I felt that his statement was narrow-minded. That it placed conditions on my faith. That it was judgmental on the part of the friend who made that statement. I thought to myself "how dare he say that I cannot be a 'good Christian' UNLESS I did those things as he stated."
I left that church because of that one well-meaning friend.
And over those decades I have steadfastly held that our relationship to God is not dependent on whether we pray daily. It's not dependent upon our daily immersion in scripture. My relationship with God is not defined by those acts: it is defined by my personal experience with God; the times I have felt His Presence; the times I have heard His Word and felt it sear my soul.
It's been nearly 40 years since that well-meaning friend spoke those words to me. And now I realize....
He was right - to an certain point. He was wrong in creating a condition for the validity of my faith. But he was right in that we need that daily time of prayer and scripture.
But when you're young, and your frame of reference for Bible study and prayer is observing your mother's daily ritual, with her open Bible and Bible study pages strewn across the gaudy floral-printed ottoman that matched the gaudy floral-printed overstuffed easy chair - you don't take it seriously. Especially if you're struggling to find your own faith, not defined by your mother's faith, as I was doing at that time.
But 40 years later I now understand it. While I would not make an "In order to...." statement, I would state that for one to grow in their relationship with God, one should practice these disciplines.
Allow me to put it into context of a relationship with a spouse, partner, boyfriend or girlfriend. Do you think you can maintain a healthy relationship if you do not daily communicate with that person? Can you truly understand each other? Can you cultivate the art of listening to that person, and being a supportive partner, spouse, or significant other? I think not. Relationships of any kind are based on regular if not daily communication. I am blessed that my wife and I speak to each other daily. But even when we were dating there were daily calls, daily texts, regular emails, and we spent as much time together as we could before I eventually moved into her home.
It is no different with God. If we truly want a relationship with God, we are foolish to think we can do that without conversation (prayer) and listening (prayer and scripture).
There are may aides to daily scripture and prayer. Amazon has plenty of books to assist one in that daily discipline, and I'm sure that there is an app for it as well. But that first step of recognizing the need - the importance - of that daily communication with The Father, is vital.
Now it's time for me to start.....
Soli Deo Gloria.
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