What is the Essence of Genuine Religion?

The second question from our ABF class, "Pursuing God", was "what is the essence of genuine religion?"

At first, my mind flew right away to the passage in James 1, v. 27

James 1:27
"Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."

I was pretty sure at first that this was where he was going with this question, but right away a new verse was thrown out:

John 17:3
"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."

Hhhhm... a little bit different vein that I thought, but this still made sense to me. So often we get so busy but we are supposed to STILL pursue God. Life is not supposed to distract us or choke that away from us... eternal life is to know God. Jesus said:

John 10:10
"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

He came that we would have abundant life, eternal life, and THEN we find out that this life is to know God and Jesus. It's not just about getting to heaven someday. It's not about having our earth restored someday physically, socially, spiritually, relationally... it's about knowing God and His Son NOW. Awesome!

And the best part is, God--who chose us BEFORE we chose Him--WANTS to know us. He wants to! He waits to!

Tozer was quoted in our ABF class as saying, roughly, 'God is a person... that thinks, feels, desires, loves, etc. just as we do... He communicates with us through the avenues of mind, will, and emotions." He has a great personality. So often we don't really think about or acknowledge these attributes of God! He feels many things like we do. He communicates to us in a way that we relate to in our souls because that's how HE relates. Why do we so often miss Him and just leave Him waiting?!

Instead, we have the wonderous opportunity to chase Him. And here is where an answer was posed for our question:

"The continuous and unembarrassed interchange of love and thoughts between God and man... that is the essence of genuine religion."

That's something to chew on for sure. A constant interchange with God... all through the day... kinda reminds me of a verse:

1 Thess 5:16-18
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Did you catch it? Pray without ceasing. A continuous exchange of love and thoughts. "God on the brain". It all fits together! And THAT is the essence of religion... pursuing God constantly. That's definitely a part of falling in love with Him.