“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with
me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk
with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of
grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me
and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Jesus, (Matthew
11:28 -30)
It’s that time of year again. Christmas carols and Christmas lights.
Presents and stockings. Wrapping paper and trees. And STRESS. And I’m feeling
it more than ever this year! Maybe it’s because I am moving in a just a few
weeks. Or maybe it’s because I’m working in retail. It’s really a toss up!! And
I only work in a fairly small Christian bookstore in town. I can’t imagine how
the mall workers feel. It’s a tough job though. Shoppers demanding you drop
everything and meet their every need. They expect you to read minds and know
who they are shopping for and what’s the best gift. They expect you to know all
the prices and all the sales and where every item they ask for is located.
Don’t even be out of it! The wrath of holiday moms will appear!! …Side
note…treat those you shop with pleasantly, like Jesus would, it’d be nice!…
Sometimes I feel that way as a Christian too. I better have it all together.
I better know every verse the preacher mentions.
I better have read the latest book, or bought
the latest worship CD. Don’t even think about skipping church on Sundays or not
tithing! But why? I don’t remember Jesus passing all these “laws” we as
Christians put upon ourselves. I am doing a pretty in depth Bible study on
Romans. It started in September, we meet weekly, and we are in chapter 8. It’s
in depth. And one of the greatest lessons I’m learning in Romans is the power
of God’s grace.
“…A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong
wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of
brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death… The law always ended up being
used as a Band-Aid on sin instead of a deep healing of it. And now what the law
code asked for but we couldn’t deliver is accomplished as we, instead of
redoubling our own efforts, simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us… This
resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life.
It’s
adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next,
Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We
know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children.” Romans
8:1-17(ish)
This is the Christian life I long to live. And I think there’s a lot of us
out there that do. But we fool ourselves into thinking all this other stuff
comes with being a Christian too. And all God requires of us is our heart. That’s
a bit easier to swallow if you ask me.
