In a day where information is available to us at a tap or click, we can easily be deceived into believing that we can get all of the information that we need to know about a person. Think about it. How often do you meet someone (or even before you meet them) do your ‘research’? Checking Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. – even going as far as a free background check…totally bypassing the opportunity to connect and really get to know someone. Society has turned us into people that crave information more than relationship.

Our information makes us feel smart, safe, secure, and a step ahead. It makes us experts yet ineffective in our relations. Often creating barriers that prevent us from embracing true relationships. Armed with our “information”, we enter in to relationship with preconceived notions, false expectations (and often false information), standards and rules that prevent us from cultivating a genuine relationship with a person.

Same can be said with our relationship with God. Our knowledge (or lack thereof) and expertise, can be a barrier to our relationship with Him. Our knowledge can give us this puffed up idea that we know all there is to know and that we are the subject matter experts on all things holy. Instead of basing our relationship with God on salvation, grace, intimacy and experience, we base it on information, rules, certifications, titles, commandments, and others views of Him. Don’t be mistaken, as believers and followers of Christ, we should diligently study the Word of God as our source of truth, our history and instructions for living. However, information without a relationship with the One it’s all about, is useless.

During His time on earth, Jesus fiercely warned a group of people who valued religion more that they did a relationship with God. The Pharisees felt that their knowledge, interpretation of scripture and rule based systems were the way to a righteous life.

“You’re hopeless, you religion scholars! You took the key of knowledge, but instead of unlocking doors, you locked them. You won’t go in yourself, and won’t let anyone else in either.” Luke 11:52 MSG

The Pharisees were keeping people – including themselves, from the Kingdom of God based on their information. Their knowledge kept them from a relationship with God that could only come through salvation in Christ alone – not information, criteria or rules. Similarly, our desire to consume information to prove what we know and how much we know, can keep us from growing in relationship with Christ. As we constantly pursue information, we often miss opportunities to connect with Him, experience Him, embrace Him and live for Him.

Here are a few relationship goals we should have:

1. Connect with God through salvation.

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Personal Savior, consider asking Him into your heart. It’s the most important relationship you will ever have. You can do it right now….just say these words..

“I’m a sinner in need of rescuing. I need You, Jesus, as my Lord and Savior. I believe that you came to earth as God in the flesh, died on the cross for my sins, and rose again so that I can live eternally with You. I ask you to come into my heart and change me, that I might live for You. In Jesus Name, Amen”

2. Get to know God through His Word, daily devotions and prayer.

3. Express gratitude and value your relationship with praise and worship.

4. Hang out with God. Make personal quiet time, church and fellowship a priority.

5. Put your relationship on display and share the Good News. Let others see proof of your relationship by being the light and tell others about the One you’re in relationship with.

Now for a few closing words from a former Pharisee…

“The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I’m tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn’t want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ— God’s righteousness.

I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.” – Paul

(Philippians 3:7-11 MSG)