My son was home with a headache and a fever yesterday. For most of the day he did pretty well, but there were a few times that life was crashing around him. He was annoyed with his sister, and just wanted her to stop talking. He prefers life to be a little more on the quiet side, she prefers it to be loud and lively. His breaking point was when she was dancing on the couch with her guitar singing as loud as she could about her rock band! She can dance, for sure, and sing, but it was way too much for him. I challenged her to find something more quiet to do and she informed me that if she seeks something "quiet" then she will not be having fun! Life is all about fun right now, and that is important to her. She's not interested in being restrained in anyway, she wants her freedom to express who she is! My son wants the same freedom, he would just prefer to do it quietly. I can make the rules to try to make her quiet, but she will break them.
Back in the olden days, when Jesus walked this earth, He had the same problem. The religious folks worked really hard at rules. They worked hard at trying to keep Him quiet. They were bothered by the noise of His very presence. They were just like my son, when Jesus got too loud, they would try to stone Him! But, Jesus knew Who He Was and what His mission was. He didn't let their rules, or their stones stop Him from moving forward in this mission.
Jesus hung out with all the wrong people, He loved them, talked to them, nurtured them. Jesus opened His mouth and spoke words of truth. He challenged the religious guys to think about their actions. Jesus lived grace. Some of the people witnessed that and chose to follow Him, others just got mad and worked even harder to shut Him up. The religious guys were all about themselves. They wanted the people to follow them, see them, hear them, obey them. Jesus, on the other hand, was all about God. He pointed them to His Father, compelled them to repent, forgive, love, and follow truth. He compelled them to live truth, and talk truth. The religious guys were all worried about how things looked, what everyone would say, the rules being broken. Jesus, He didn't really care about any of that, He sought relationship. He could look at the blind, the sick, the broken in Spirit, and be in relationship with them. He healed them with His touch and with the truth of who they were, he did not list all the rules to them.
When he encountered the women at the well, He loved her and He did not judge her. Then, He commissioned her to go into her own town and do the very same thing. She was so excited to finally meet the Savior, that she couldn't wait to share the news. Not the news of rules, but of love and trust. He didn't commission her to go to meetings, keep track of every rule and follow it, restrain from smoking. He just told her to go and speak the good news of truth.
Jesus, give me Your eyes to see. I am asking for Your discernment today, Your truth. The freedom that you have given, is just that, FREEDOM! It is not a checklist, and I will choose to fly in that freedom and speak of that freedom today. It is because of this freedom, that He is my friend. Jesus is in relationship with me, loving me, guiding me, shining light on me. He has given such an incredible gift that I will choose to serve Him today. I will praise Him for the friendship, and praise Him for nailing the rules to the cross. I will dance before Him, and proclaim all that He has done for me, yes, me His friend.
Jesus, continue throughout this day to speak. Say That Again, freedom is mine, and remind me to stomp out the religion!
Back in the olden days, when Jesus walked this earth, He had the same problem. The religious folks worked really hard at rules. They worked hard at trying to keep Him quiet. They were bothered by the noise of His very presence. They were just like my son, when Jesus got too loud, they would try to stone Him! But, Jesus knew Who He Was and what His mission was. He didn't let their rules, or their stones stop Him from moving forward in this mission.
Jesus hung out with all the wrong people, He loved them, talked to them, nurtured them. Jesus opened His mouth and spoke words of truth. He challenged the religious guys to think about their actions. Jesus lived grace. Some of the people witnessed that and chose to follow Him, others just got mad and worked even harder to shut Him up. The religious guys were all about themselves. They wanted the people to follow them, see them, hear them, obey them. Jesus, on the other hand, was all about God. He pointed them to His Father, compelled them to repent, forgive, love, and follow truth. He compelled them to live truth, and talk truth. The religious guys were all worried about how things looked, what everyone would say, the rules being broken. Jesus, He didn't really care about any of that, He sought relationship. He could look at the blind, the sick, the broken in Spirit, and be in relationship with them. He healed them with His touch and with the truth of who they were, he did not list all the rules to them.
When he encountered the women at the well, He loved her and He did not judge her. Then, He commissioned her to go into her own town and do the very same thing. She was so excited to finally meet the Savior, that she couldn't wait to share the news. Not the news of rules, but of love and trust. He didn't commission her to go to meetings, keep track of every rule and follow it, restrain from smoking. He just told her to go and speak the good news of truth.
Jesus, give me Your eyes to see. I am asking for Your discernment today, Your truth. The freedom that you have given, is just that, FREEDOM! It is not a checklist, and I will choose to fly in that freedom and speak of that freedom today. It is because of this freedom, that He is my friend. Jesus is in relationship with me, loving me, guiding me, shining light on me. He has given such an incredible gift that I will choose to serve Him today. I will praise Him for the friendship, and praise Him for nailing the rules to the cross. I will dance before Him, and proclaim all that He has done for me, yes, me His friend.
Jesus, continue throughout this day to speak. Say That Again, freedom is mine, and remind me to stomp out the religion!
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