Larry and Bob

Let me tell you a story. It's about a man who had a friend who lived in a far country. He had this friend for as long as he could remember. He was faithful to his friend, and was proud to tell people about his friendship. In the man's house, were paintings of his buddy, and even framed plaques on the wall with things his friend had written. He knew them well, and memorised some of them. Let's say the friend's name was Bob, and the man I'm talking about is named Larry.

Larry was rather proud of being Bob's friend, and would mention his friend Bob often in conversations with people. He wanted so much to identify himself with Bob, that he began using Bob's name to describe himself. Larry actually became Bob's friend when he one day visited the place
where Bob used to live. He had heard about Bob's house from his parents and others who had been there. Going to Bob's house seemed to make Larry feel close to Bob, even though it had been a long time since Bob actually lived there. Larry had a good idea where Bob was now staying, though far away , he dreamed of being with his friend someday. And although Larry longed to be with Bob, he couldn't leave his life he had made for himself in the place he had settled into. But Larry was certain that his friendship with Bob was all he needed to get him accepted into Bob's new country and place of residence.

Finally the day came when Larry set out to be with his buddy Bob. He left everything behind and made his way to Bob's country and to the place Bob lived. When Larry arrived, he was escorted into a room where he met and talked with Bob. The things that Bob said to Larry came as a great shock, and Larry's soul was horrified upon hearing them.

What Bob said to Larry is, "Why have you come here to my house to see me? I do not know you!. You say you and I have been friends for such a long time, yet this is really the first encounter we've had with one another! It does not matter that you use my name to refer to yourself, or that my picture is on your wall, or that you visit my former house often, you and I still have never really been acquainted."
Larry thought for a second and said "haven't I told people about our friendship?...haven't I spent hours memorising and reciting to others the things you have written?", but again Bob said "we are not friends Larry. Just because you call someone a friend , doesn't make it so. You could have come to see me many years ago but could not find time. The things you love in the place where you live are more important to you." Please leave now.

When you have someone who you consider to be a good friend, and you've been close friends with for years, would you agree if someone if they said to you that you didn't know your friend at all?..that you aren't really friends?. You would know it isn't true because of the experiences you've had , and the memory of your friend's presence and their face in your mind. You understand that your friendship has developed by the interaction you've had with your friend. Yet millions today claim a friendship with Jesus Christ when they do not really know Him. What they hold up as evidence of their knowledge of Jesus is their church attendance, their knowledge of the Bible, and their varying attempts to keep God's rules and be a good person. This is called "religion". Religion will not get you into heaven, it will actually keep you out.

Don't be content just calling yourself a Bob-ite, give Bob a call. talk to Him and get acquainted with Him. He's been waiting to have a real relationship with you!