Detachment 2

Today I heard the results of a survey where the American people say that organized religion is loosing it's influence.  The person who conducted the survey saw now as an opportunity for religions to prove what they are and why they should have influence.

I think what he says is true.  At a time of "popularity" of religion we often took it for granted that those of us in a church had faith and it was being passed on to our children, but was it?  Or was it really just something people did because it was the norm?  I think that is the truth of it for most people.  They belonged to a faith but it had little to no influence on how they lived and now the new generation is saying to us that won't work.

How does that fit into detachment?  We have to detach ourselves from the idea of external trappings. The cross on my neck doesn't make me a Christian, what I believe isn't the whole story either, but how I act.  I can't say I believe in the sanctity of life and then not support life from conception to natural death in all I say and do, and not be a liar.  If I believe that you can't abort a child but I myself  never am open to life, or only open to life on my terms, I am a liar.  Do I dress like a Christian do I wear a cross and think that the trappings of faith is all I need, or do I have the heart of a Christian?  Sometimes we have to detach ourselves from our preconceived notions of what it means to follow God, to learn to hear His voice and follow Him.

I think I begin to understand how the faith can be dead without works but how works can not save us.  We get so caught up in the motions of faith.  We think that because we fast or pray or attend meetings that we more holy then those who don't do what we do, when it is our hearts we need to change.  If our actions don't flow from our hearts our actions will be hollow.  If they flow from our hearts we will do all those things and more.

I need to detach myself from my idea of myself and go with God, with no preconceived ideas only a wish do His will.  Pray for me.