Why "Casual Christianity" Misses the Point

Below are a few not-so-random questions about my husband.

Mark and Nancy Sheppard

1. How would Mark feel if every year I made the same New Years Resolution—this year I would spend time with him? Cross my heart, hope to die.
2. How would Mark feel if I hardly ever thought about him except for two hours each Sunday morning?
3. How would Mark feel if I never mentioned him unless someone else brought up the subject first?
4. How would Mark feel if I felt guilty about how little I knew about him, but did nothing to learn more?
5. How would Mark feel if he had written me long, detailed letters and I never bothered to read them? 
6. How would Mark feel if I was perpetually too busy to talk to him?
7. How would Mark feel if his plan for our marriage scared me more than it excited me?
8. How would Mark feel if I didn't care to figure out what pleased him?
9. How would Mark feel if I talked with him very infrequently—like only when I was in extremely serious physical or financial trouble?
10. How would Mark feel if I pretended everything was "just fine" in our relationship, but I was really cheating on him?
11. How would Mark feel if I found him so boring that I avoided him as much as possible?
12. How would Mark feel if I loved my hobbies, work, and many other things much more than him? 

If any of these things were true, I don't doubt Mark would sit me down and, perhaps with even a fair amount of emotion, confront me about my attitude. I am quite sure he would tell me he was not interested in a "casual marriage" in which I appeared to be just barely tolerating him—even acting ashamed! In fact, I imagine Mark would say my acting as though I were ashamed of him made him feel ashamed of me, and he wanted so much more for our relationship than this "in name only" business.

And what if I were asking these questions about God instead of Mark? Would He not feel the same way?

See The Greatest Treasure of All.
See How to Avoid Becoming "The Other Woman."
See the satirical Book Review: Humility and How I Attained It by I.M. Phake