There's more to it, but that's the theme. I share the above in case you missed it and don't wish to, have the time to or whatever, listen to the message itself, and so that you'll understand why I'm hitting those Rs again. Something is bothering me about the message. No, I don't believe I got anything wrong, except perhaps the title. The truth is that there is no lasting, real freedom without surrender to Jesus, and there is no life outside of Him. So there is a truth that nothing matters without relationship with Jesus. But I am uncomfortable with the idea that the title I used for what I feel is an important message may give the idea that there is no purpose or place in life for the other Rs. They do matter after all. They simply can't and won't work on their own, apart from God.
But that doesn't mean that they don't have a purpose, a value and aren't important in any way or at all. Each of the Rs that don't give life, that can't make real and permanent change, that can't set us free, etc. on their own do still have a purpose and a place in our lives. Jesus had a resolve to do what the Father called and told Him to do. He had restriction or discipline. He obeyed and honored the rules of God, even as He disregarded and rebuked the rules that men added. He never had relief over a second chance to do it right Himself, since He didn't screw up, fail or sin, but He did live with a thankful heart and rejoiced over our opportunity to have new life, another chance to walk with God and restoration of our relationship with our Creator. And we like to say things like it's relationship not religion, and those of us who have been hurt by religion or had religion fail us like to think that Jesus wasn't religious. But Jesus was religious and lived His religion every day, ever moment of His life when you look at the definition of religion.
Religion is defined as 1. the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods. Jesus most certainly had that. While He rejected the belief of gods, especially us as our own god, He believed completely and lived for relationship with the One God who made us all; 2.. a particular system of faith and worship. and Jesus had that since His entire life was an example of faith in and worship of the Father; and 3. a pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance. and Jesus places so much importance, pursuit, and interest on the will of the Father that He made it clear that nothing, not even continuing to breathe was more important and that He did nothing and said nothing outside of the Father's will for Him to say and do.
Oxygen alone won't give us life or keep us alive. If all we do is breathe we'll die of thirst. Water won't give or keep life either. You must have nourishment and air. Food without air and hydration..., well, you get the idea. There are numerous factors that are important to continuing life, and we need them. But if you take them all and provide them all, that won't give life. I have air, food, water and more in my kitchen, but life is not sprouting up. God creates and gives life. None of what helps sustain it matters without the life that He first gives. But just because God gives me life and it can't be maintained without Him doesn't mean that I don't need to breathe, drink water, eat food, etc.
We do need resolve to surrender and stay surrendered to God. We need restriction of the self as we release the freedom of the new spirit in us. We need the rule of love God and others and don't do that which is unloving. We need relief and a grateful,thankful heart that we have new life and God gives us the power to walk in it. And yes, we need to believe in the God we give our will and lives to, we need to practice faith in and worship of Him, and we need to have both pursuit and interest in the supreme importance of relationship with our Creator and in our service to Him. In other words we need religion. These things enhance and help sustain the new life that we have been given. They are important and matter in that sense. But like air and other essentials, they can not nor will not give life on their own or apart from the life giving relationship with God. Outside the R of relationship, they do not matter, and neither does anything else. But within the life of relationship they are important and have purpose.
It's important for me to remember that. I can't get so focused on the truth that life is from, because of and in God that I forget to breathe, eat, drink etc. I need the little r aspects of life to help me live in the big R of relationship. I can't concentrate on any one of them as more important than relationship, nor look to any of them for the life that only relationship gives, but I still need them. And so do you.
Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments, the weekly Unshackled Echo and or listens to the Audio Messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them on social media, commented on the blog or replied to an email subscription. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions and sermons to more people by sharing this? Hitting the share button or forwarding this to a friend will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.
No comments:
Post a Comment