"Faith is not commitment to a teaching."

From The Path Beyond the Gate, Ann Smith writes:  "Do you know someone who puts the Bible in the position that God ought to have?  He or she is committed to a teaching.  I'm not committed to a teaching.  I'm committed to the person who makes this teaching important because it's about him.  But my commitment is to the person.  It's a relationship.  It's alive, a fluid, very active kind of relationship."

That says it all for me.  Faith is a relationship with my Lord and Savior.  I am unable to separate faith from the Word from relationship from Jesus.  The first chapter of John says:

John 1 (New Living Translation)

Prologue: Christ, the Eternal Word

¹ In the beginning the Word already existed.
      The Word was with God,
      and the Word was God.
² He existed in the beginning with God.
³ God created everything through him,
      and nothing was created except through him.
⁴ The Word gave life to everything that was created,
      and his life brought light to everyone.
⁵ The light shines in the darkness,
      and the darkness can never extinguish it.

HIM is Jesus Christ.  HE is the Word.  HE is the only one who ever died for anyone and was resurrected to never die again.  HE died for me.  I have accepted HIS gift of forgiveness, grace, mercy, abundant and eternal life.  I am in a relationship with HIM.  I spend time with HIM by meditating on HIS Word.  I talk/listen to HIM all day long.  I wake up talking/listening to HIM.  I go to sleep listening/talking to HIM.  I trust HIM.  Why?  It's simple.  HE has never failed me.  HE has never rejected me.  HE has never lied to me.  HE has never left me.  HE has never done me wrong.

Ann is right.  I'm not committed to a teaching.  I'm committed to Jesus Christ. 

Thank You, Lord, for forgiving me when I fail You and help me to realize quickly and run back into Your arms.  Thank You that all I have to do is turn around and there YOU are. Amen.