Up to 50% of evangelical freshmen abandon their faith by their senior year. The most common explanation for this alarming fact is that teens largely live off a borrowed faith – borrowed from their parents or pastors. This may be true, but it begs another question: why do they need to borrow a faith at all? These teen’s families and churches are not entirely to blame (though they should shoulder some of the responsibility), the problem stems from not having a relationship with the person of God. Yes, God is not a distant deity but a living person with whom we are to enter a relationship with.

Our culture, however, teaches us to live quite differently. Albert Einstein captures the spirit of our educational institutions perfectly:

I don’t try to imagine a personal God; it suffices to stand in awe at the structure of the world, insofar as it allows our inadequate senses to appreciate it.

The problem with Einstein’s understanding is that it is wrong – it does not “suffice” to stand in awe if we can truly know God.

I believe that too often we focus on religious observations instead of spending time with God as a person. People have three primary attributes, intellect, emotions and will. God too has all three of these attributes and is relatable in every way people are. Take for example Romans 11.33:

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how fathomless his ways!

That’s intellect, my friends. God knows the depths of every emotion too. There are a great many passages we could look at, but here are a few to make the point: God is love (1 John 4.8), God knows joy (Luke 15.7), he is compassionate (Psalm 103.13), he grieves over our sin *Genesis 6.5-6), scoffs at the proud (Psalm 2.4) and shows anger (Psalm 7.11). God always knows what we are feeling, and he has felt that way too. Then there is this:

My plan will be realized, I will accomplish what I desire… (Isaiah 46.10)

There you have it, intellect, emotion and will. Of course we acknowledge this truth in a theological sense, we speak of the Trinity as three persons of one essence. The problem is we don’t act on that truth. As adults, who among us doesn’t desire to talk with our children? To check in with our parents throughout the week? To catch up with our siblings? Our children (usually) pick up on these cues and do likewise as they grow up. So let me ask this, how often do they see you “check-in” with God? Do they hear you pray, really pray, to God about your day? Do they see you read your Bible, not just as a religious duty but as a way of drawing nearer to the Person of God?

I’m not trying to make anyone feel guilty – far from it! I am attempting to inspire every reader to be intentional about their relationship with God, to start treating him as a member of the family and to let your children (if you have any) observe you doing so. Talk about your relationship with the Lord often. In so doing, perhaps they will learn to have a genuine relationship of their own with God. You know you can trust him with your children.

Food for thought, Jeremiah 9.23-24a:

The Lord says, “Wise people should not boast that they are wise.

Powerful people should not boast that they are powerful.

Rich people should not boast that they are rich.

If people want to boast, they should boast about this:

They should boast that they understand and know me.”