“Cause all religion ever made of me
Was just a sinner with a stone tied to my feet
And love has set me free”

This line is from a popular song, sung by Jason Gray, called “More Like Falling in Love”.  On the way to drop my oldest off at preschool this morning, we had a little praise & worship session in the car. We played some of their favorite songs, and as I watched them sing at the top of their lungs and raise their hands in worship, the words “falling in love with Jesus” kept washing over my mind. I knew I’d heard a song with that line plenty of times, but didn’t know the exact title- only some lines. So, I looked it up…and man, did God use that to change my morning.

I listened to that song the entire way home. And it was like a revelation to me. Y’all. Our relationship…our Christian walk…it truly does have to be more like falling in love, than just church & prayers & hope.

If you’re currently married, or have been in a truly loving relationship…or even if you know the ideology of one…think about that for a minute. My husband. I love him with a fierce love. Sure, there are plenty of times that I don’t like his decisions, or things he says, or ways he acts. Sure, there are moments that I feel let down by him, or days that I’m disappointed. But, at the end of each and every day, I love him. With a deep love. Marital love is a love that says “You know what? We won’t always necessarily agree. But we agree to love each other.” At the end of the day, there’s nothing that I wouldn’t do for him. I love him in all his faults, in all his great days and bad ones.

And that is how Jesus wants our relationship with Him to look and feel. Like being in love. Aren’t we the bride of Christ, after all?

Sure, it’s easy to pray because you know you should. It’s easy to tithe, because you know it’s right. It’s easy to read your Bible, go to church, and even talk about God…because you know that’s what He wants us to do. We talk the talk, and walk the walk. But, do you do it out of obligation? Do you do it out of habit? Or because you are in love with Him?

“It’s gotta be more like falling in love
Than something to believe in
More like losing my heart
Than giving my allegiance”

Believe in Him. But, don’t just believe in Him!!

I mean, when you’re newly and deeply in love with someone, you can’t stop talking about them. Can’t stop thinking about them. You want to be with them. You crave their conversation, their touch, their relationship with you.

“More like losing my heart“– Do you know that feeling? Like your heart is walking around outside your body? Your spouse, or significant other. Your kids. If anything happened to them, how your world would crumble. What tragedy your life would feel like, if you lost them. Pieces of your heart, walking around outside your body. That’s love. And that’s how He loves us.

Religion has tried to make God about allegiance. Relationship makes God about your heart.

“I need more than a truth to believe
I need a Truth that lives, moves, and breathes
To sweep me off my feet”

Religion has made it about the rules and words and obligations. Jesus- He never wanted it to be about that. He wants it to be about love. He wants us to be as in love with Him, as He is with us. Jesus was real. He IS real.

God loves us, y’all. He gave up his only Son for us. He forgives us for every single, solitary wrongdoing, every single feeling, every single doubt. He provides for us, takes care of us, watches out for us. Really, really, really and truly loves us.

Think about when you look in your kids’ eyes- the pure, unadulterated love that you have for them. Nothing they could ever do, could make you love them less. That is how deeply He loves us. He’s in love with us, y’all! Get excited about that!!!

Can we think of Him like a spouse? Like someone that we don’t want to let down, because we love Him so much. Like someone that we would go to the ends of the earth for, because we love Him so much. That’s how He thinks of us, after all.

I can’t explain my love for my husband. I mean, I can tell you qualities that I love about him. I can tell you things he has done that make me happy, or proud, or even make me like him a little more. But, I can’t really put into words the depth or width of my love for him. Because it just is. I love him, even when I don’t necessarily like him. It’s years and years of togetherness. Years and years of commitment. Love. Just because love. Even if you don’t have that kind of love with a husband– let JESUS love you like that!

And that is how Jesus wants our love relationship to be with Him. Unexplainable love. Happy love. Giddy love. Unconditional love. Love that, even when you don’t necessarily like the season He has you in, you still love Him for who He is.

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

I truly hope I’m not rambling with this post, y’all. But I got so excited thinking about this, that I just needed to share it with you. It gave me a whole new perspective on relationship.

If you’re struggling. If you’re feeling like your prayers are hitting the ceiling. If you feel disconnected- try thinking about Him in a different light today.

It’s been a lot of years since I’ve dated. I haven’t had to let myself fall in love with anyone in a very long time. But, I can vaguely remember back to the walls you build. No one wants their heart broken. We all tend to go into relationships guarded- self preserving. We want to fall in love, in theory. But, there’s a certain amount of letting go that has to take place.

There’s nothing you can ever, ever do to stop Him from loving you. Accept that. Tell yourself that. Know it. Isn’t it a great feeling, knowing someone loves you for you?

Allow yourself to fall in love with Him. And watch your world change.