The Only Thing That Matters Is ....

Here's a fact: All that matters is your relationship with Jesus Christ. It doesn't matter about your looks, your style, your possession, your job, your friends, even your family. It doesn't matter how many times you go to church, how well you sing, if you are in the worship group or lead a Bible Study. It doesn't matter how many hours you spend feeding the poor, visiting the sick, building homes, giving out clothing. It doesn't matter how many storms you quiet, dead you raise, blind you give sight to, lepers you heal. All that matter is your relationship with Jesus Christ.

When this relationship is right then everything else falls into place. Your motivation is right. The power is present. Your energy is good. You sleep well at night. Peace is your constant possession.

I say this because many of us are too worried about the opinions and ideas of other people. We are swayed too easily by what the world thinks and says. We worry too much about fitting in and doing the right thing. Our confidence is low and we often just want to "get by". No expectations. Nothing accomplished. Just another brick in the wall.

Understand what the Spirit is saying:

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. (Colossians 2:16-17)

Repeat that: "The reality, however, is found in Christ". Keep repeating that until the truth of it hits you.

So many Christians try to live an Old Testament type of Christianity not understanding that those things were just shadows of the reality we find in Jesus. There is something wrong with us. We have a tendency to try to take the things of God and translate them into something we better understand. Look at Israel and the golden calf. In fact, look how easy it was for Israel to fall prey to foreign gods. They just wanted something they could see and touch.

We still do that today, trying to make the things of God human in nature so we can better understand. But anything we try to translate becomes twisted and deformed and becomes a distraction from Jesus just like the desert snake became an idol for the Israelites in generations to come.

All that matters is our relationship with Jesus. That is our reality because everything finds its reality in him. Do not allow anything to distract you or persuade you to take your eyes off of him. Do not let anything become a substitute for your relationship with him. Do not fall for any lies or any deception that would try to tell you that you need something more than this relationship with Jesus. There is nothing you have to do other than love him with all your heart, mind, soul, body and strength. When you do that everything else falls into place.

All that matters is your relationship with Jesus.