Relationship or Religion?

I have always tried to explain when asked, that what I believe matters most to God is a relationship with Him and not being bound and entangled in religion.

In a relationship, you seek to know more about the One you love and try - try to mould and build your relationship based on that knowledge. Even God according to the bible relates with us as He made us, never forgetting our weaknesses and never holding out on His love for us.

for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
Psalms 103:14 NIV

But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.
Psalms 103:17-18 NIV

God our creator knows how He made us; what He made us from and though not asking for anything other than a life of love and service to one another, He'd love for His creation to acknowledge and love Him back rather than set up false man-made gods and worship those instead.
Man-made gods doesn't necessarily have to be rocks, statues, ornaments or any physical objects, it could also be delicately intangible things like trauma, loss, heartbreak, religion anything that we can use as a reason to separate us from God or stand as God in our lives.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
Romans 8:35 NIV

Why hold a grudge against a God who would sacrifice His only son to redeem us to Himself and give us hope of eternal life in Him. A grudge is like a god we unintentionally serve, we worship it, feed it and give it a lot of attention yet it serves us no purpose.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:37-39 NIV

He is in love with us and that is why He gave us the free will to choose to love Him back, not being forced but choosing to with all our heart.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
Revelation 3:20 ESV

If you love me, keep my commands. - John 14:15 NIV

Focus on the key word "If" in both verses immediately above - If we choose to not accept God as our maker and His only Son, Jesus as our Lord and Saviour that doesn't mean He'll set us up to fail or turn our lives upside down. It only means we have put ourselves in a space where other things that are not of God can take priority and thus cause us to start making choices that may not be in accordance with His will for us.

A relationship with God helps to keep our eyes and attention on Him which guides the choices we make, gives us grace and strength to fight through battles that life will throw our way and give us a hope of eternal life when this journey called life is done. There is no guarantee in the bible or from our fathers and mothers who's walked the same crust we walk, that it will be smooth sailing, absolutely not, but with God we can hold on to faith that He will guide us through and give us purpose through any pain or suffering we may experience.

A religion on the other hand, in my opinion is a mandatory conformity to a prescribed way of life whether you understand it or not. It could be punitive especially when you break set rules and regulations (mostly created by a fellow man) or you are seen as having your opinion outside of what has been set.
It's a do as I say situation without questions being asked.
It could be quite restrictive.
It is largely centred on man-made philosophical concepts which is more often than not based on vanity and the things of the world. 

In religion, focus of worship is quick to shift from God to worldly things and even ourselves.
I remember all the drama in some churches especially where they have societies: it usually becomes a contest for the most affluent society, members are more concerned about showing off expensive clothes and jewellery especially when they have their thanksgiving services. It even becomes a contest for who is able to throw the grandest wedding for their children. Woe and shame upon the member that is unable to afford this lifestyle. Some people have left churches because of this.
I believe that most people run away from these churches and from knowing God because they do not want to be bound by the shackles of religion.
I've heard stories of people who stopped going to church because when they were kids, their parents were excommunicated because of some mistake that had been made.

Religion binds us with rules, relationship binds us with love.

Religion in my opinion is like a forced marriage, to someone you have no knowledge of. You may gradually grow to love them or totally detest them and want to break free. I remember some neighbours we had when I was younger who had nothing but a transistor radio in their living room as they were forbidden from owning a TV - church rule. As if that wasn't bad enough, they couldn't wear any adornment except for a wristwatch and also nothing that could be considered fancy or make them desirable. The kids in that home always looked so unkempt and unhappy!
Looking unkempt because we must deny ourselves 'worldly things' certainly shouldn't extend to body spray and deodorant as I still can't wrap my head around how using them can lead anyone into sin, but sadly, it was a rule they followed.
One of my flatmates in my early years in university went to a similar church and within weeks she had swapped her baggy dresses for Jeans and T-shirts, and started wearing jewellery and make-up. Well, her fellow church members immediately summoned her parents to start an intervention. It was a real-life comedy!
My personal love for God comes from my understanding of who He is, and the sacrifice made on Calvary. I chose to love God, not forced to by anyone and that's how it should be in every relationship.
I had a good laugh today as I'd read a tweet from someone who says they are ok with Jesus Christ but had an axe to grind with God His Father!
Ok, I honestly don't know where to take that one from – remember there is something called the Trinity?? So do we separate one from the other?! We are allowed the freedom to choose to feel that way with God, when we hurt God sees and cares, He welcomes us to challenge Him to prove He is God and according to His words, He remembers He made us this way.

Relationship not Religion.

Love always
Ige.x