The BFF God

Do you know this God? He's a modern creation, and you got it: he's your best friend forever. He always listens to you, whatever you have to say, and he understands you - better than your bestest girlfriend from high school ever did. He doesn't insist that your communication with him be mainly made up of worship of him (what he actually created you for); he's really not that uptight. He loves to listen to you just talk about you and your feelings. He gives good advice, and has a sense of humor. Does he sound less like God and more like someone on match.com? You be the judge.

I used to know this God, or at least I spent a lot of time in churches listening to people talk about him. Christian radio is actually the best place to hear about him, and I spent some time listening to that too. When I sat in those chuches and listened to those songs, was I worshipping the One who created the universe? No. Was I becoming more holy - more like him? Sinning less? Thinking less of myself and more of him and of others? No, and no, and no. What was I doing instead? Simply creating a God I could live with, rather than worshipping the one who literally breathed life into me - both temporal and spiritual life, as a matter of fact.

I can't say that since I stopped listening to people tell me that God was my BFF I've become more holy, or sinned less, or generally become anything more than a marginally better person. But I have done one thing. I've started to actually worship the most powerful, almighty, all-knowing God - the Uncreated One. And that's a step in the right direction, however small.