The Altar And The Door

By Sophie Otiende, Kenya

I cannot recall how many times I have responded to an altar call in church or a crusade. With tears in my eyes, and my heart convicted and broken, I would cry and ask God to forgive me at the altar. I would ask Him to work in me to help me change—only to forget all that as soon as I left the altar. It seemed like I was “born again” countless times; only to go back to my former ways that did not reflect the power that I had felt at the altar.

Just the other day, I started asking myself why the messages that are tirelessly ministered at the altars in our churches (even while increasing our faith) rarely translate into real changes in our lifestyle. Most of us, in this generation, struggle with our faith because it does not seem have any effect on our lives. We talk about loving everyone but still harbor hate toward someone in our congregation. We sing about hope and yet everything about us speaks of how hopeless we feel. The truth is: Most Christians genuinely have no clue as to how they can translate their knowledge of God into something to live by.

It is possible for one to know about God, and yet, not really know Him. I was a good example. For years, I went back and forth in my Christian life and I hated myself for it. It took knowing God personally for any real change to happen. My life dramatically changed when my perspective about Christianity changed. What perspective? you may ask. It is the perspective that “Christianity is NOT a religion.” It is not about a set of rules that we follow without a revelation. Rather, it is about having a relationship with God Himself. Knowing this, my visits to the altar and the messages at the altar took a new turn. It is this that led me to the quest of knowing God.

I know what I am saying is not something new. But something can be said so many times that we stop thinking about the real meaning of what is being said. So, hear me out.

What does it really mean to have a relationship with God? I believe most people who claim to “have a relationship with God” are just simply playing religion.

The first is to understand that “God is a Person.” He is not an object. He is not a force or power lingering somewhere in the air—He is a Person! Most of us, unknowingly, treat and deal with God as an object rather than a Person. The knowledge that God is a Person makes having a relationship with Him easier because it is human nature to have relationships with people.

Knowing God as a Person also changed my perspective about prayer, worship, and reading the Bible. These stopped being just activities that I do. These become the means I communicate with God as a Person, whom I am just getting to know. The Word of God becomes more alive. I, now know, that I am not just reading words but God is speaking to me through the Bible—His Word.

How would you feel if you realized that the only reason why your friends spend time with you is because they had to? I am sure it would break your heart. Yet often, most of us spend time with God, not because it’s our heart’s desire, but because we are obligated to do it. How do you think He feels? Since He is a Person, He is capable of feeling. It is only knowing Him—truly knowing Him—that can make us desire to be with Him, and to trust what He asks of us.

We are certain that we know God when we keep His commands (1 John 2:3). 1 John 5:3 adds that loving God is keeping His commandments and finding those commands not burdensome. The only way the commands will not be burdensome is when we know the Person giving them, and that His intentions toward us are good (Jeremiah 29:11). God is a Person and He is Love.

So, my question today is: Do you really know God? Get to know Him as a Person and everything will fall into place.