Ligaments

Today I was reading a chapter from John Ortberg's book, Who is This Man:  The Unpredictable Impact of the Inescapable Jesus. He writes:

The very word religion is related to our word for "ligament" -- that which holds a body together.

I haven't looked up the word origins of the two words to give you the original data, but I like the idea.  Religion is the ligament that holds the body together.

Religion sometimes has a bad reputation.  We hear comments like, "I believe in God, but I don't believe in religion."

Truthfully, I don't think it is religion that is the "bad guy" in this story -- it's the believers, who use religion as a tool to harm or judge people.  It is the misuse of religion that is the problem, not the religion itself.

I believe in God, and I believe in the value of religion to connect us.  To organize us.  To increase our impact in manifold ways.  Religion, when we use it right, can further God's purposes.  Go into your garden and commune with God, strengthening your faith and your relationship.  Go to church and, when we are being the church, strengthen the faith of your community.  Open doors for people to find God.

We are not meant to be solitary.  We are part of a body of Christ.