We are all religious about something. But Christianity is not another religion. We all want to find meaning and fulfillment. We may seek a relationship that satisfies us. We may look for an opportunity to benefit the world, or an ability to do what we know is right. These desires can lead us down several paths:
These paths are found in many religions. But they lead nowhere. Some things you can never explain. There are painful things you cannot control. Your best experiences or successes will not satisfy your deepest longings. So, you try harder. But you fail to measure up, even to your own standards.
The problem? All these paths begin with us, not with God. We were not made to find ultimate value from created things. We were made for a relationship with God. God’s gifts to us – careers, studies, and friendships – do not substitute for God. They cannot fulfill us without God.
The Christian way does not lead from us to God, but from God to us. This is good news. What we cannot do for ourselves God did for us in Jesus Christ. God came to earth in person. God did not just reveal a message. He sent his Son. “This is love: not that we loved God, but he loved us, and sent his Son.” You will not find God by intellectual, religious, or moral effort. But God can find you.
Religions offer paths to God. But Christianity is different. God comes to you.