The essence of our relationship with God is to receive love so that we can give love. To love and be loved. This is the core of the Christian faith. Not the religious activities – attending or hosting ceremonies, dutifully reading the bible, praying, etc. By all means we should do those things because they deepen our understanding, faith and can draw us closer to God and people however, they are a means to an end. Not the end goal.

In the Good Samaritan story, we see the priest, the Levite, the Samaritan. The former 2 are those who on the surface, you would expect to know and be closer to God more than the latter. Yet they were unable to show empathy. Perhaps they presumed the man dead and did not want to ‘defile’ themselves. A life was almost lost for this. People are more important than religion.

We are here for love. We are here to love. Love started it all. Everything Jesus did/said was full love and because He loved. We can only give what we have received. Let not our religion be in vain. May we not be a people whose mouths are full of the law and religious jargon, time filled up with religious activities, and with hearts empty of love.

Love is all we need.

Arielle x