More on the Core

I wanted to continue some thoughts on The Core, specifically why relationship is such a good way to define it. When I first decided (somewhat finally) that being in relationship with God is the Core, I immediately began to draw analogies to marriage. This is not meant to exclude singles, divorced folks, or anyone else not in a marriage relationship for whatever reason, but marriage is the ultimate relationship. It's no wonder that throughout Scripture we see our relationship with God compared to marriage. The Church is the Bride of Christ.

I call marriage the ultimate relationship because of all the stuff that comes with it. There are legal ramifications. If you decide to end the relationship permanently, you have to go through all sorts of rigamarole to divide up property, etc. One of the partners may remain financially obligated to other as a result of the relationship. There are certainly physical and emotional ramifications. Even here the legal system has intervened and person can actually sue someone for "alienation of affection" if the spouse is drawn away due to an affair. If you are the person who has been cheated on, the emotional cost is way more than when your best friend doesn't invite you golfing or to the neighborhood cookout.

I think marriage is the ultimate relationship because of all the work that has to go into it. When I signed my marriage certificate, it did not mean that I never had to do anything to keep the marriage alive. It actually meant that I had to begin to actually work harder. I had to learn to live my wife. I had to learn how to be selfless. I had to learn how to change when I was wrong and apologize for it. We didn't just move in together and share the bills. Do I understand my wife better today than I did fourteen years ago? Yes. Will I understand her even better in fourteen more? Yes. Has it always been easy? No. Was it worth it? Definitely.

This sounds like I'm beginning to formulate a belief system, complete with rules and regulations. If I apply this to the Core, then it seems to move beyond just being in relationship with God. Actually it doesn't. If we focus on maintaining our relationship with God, the how-to's will take care of themselves. Here's a word of warning. It can become real easy to follow an already established set of rules and regulations to do so. You could even make up your own involving ritual sacrifices and feasts on chocolate bars.

I will also admit that this line of reasoning could also very easily lead to a universalist orientation that says all religions are a path that leads to God. That's why the relationship aspect is so important. I had to listen to my wife, not just do what I thought needed to be done. When we are in relationship with God, we have to listen to him. He'll talk to us. He'll guide us. The Holy Spirit will point us in the right direction. It's also important to be around other people who are also in relationship with him. Either become part of a brick and mortar church or get together regularly in some fashion with others so you can encourage one another in your relationships.

So how's your relationship? Is it defined by do's and don'ts? Does your relationship really mean anything? Don't live on either of these extremes. Live in the middle. Live in the Core.