I'm not reading my Bible. I'm not "doing religion."
The truth is I'm tired and confused.
I don't want to
a. Go to church and be angry.
b. Go to church and be entertained, but keep a safe distance. Don't get close enough to see any errors.
c. Be a church slacker.
But this week I'm choosing slacking rather than being fake.
I need Christianity to be more than a list of rules, than something I do, than something that hurts my friends, than something that is hard.
c. Be a church slacker.
But this week I'm choosing slacking rather than being fake.
I need Christianity to be more than a list of rules, than something I do, than something that hurts my friends, than something that is hard.
God is real; He is more. Jesus said:
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you will recover your life. I will show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced ryhthms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill fitting on you. Keep company with me and you will learn to live freely and lightly. Matthew 11:28-30 (Message Bible)
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you will recover your life. I will show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced ryhthms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill fitting on you. Keep company with me and you will learn to live freely and lightly. Matthew 11:28-30 (Message Bible)
How do I find that?
1 comment:
"Religion that the Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." [James 1:27] It's not supposed to be about rules; it's just not. That doesn't make it easy, though. Theory sounds so simple; life is full of complications.
"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." [John 15:4] Still, don't lose track of God. When I was living in Denver, as well as the semester before, I took a break from God, from Christianity. I wasn't sure it was real. I stopped reading the Bible; I stopped going to church; I largely stopped hanging out with Christians because I was "too busy" with school & Camp Adventure & lifeguard classes. Finally, my seemingly innocent and carefree life was so miserable that I cried out to God. I yelled, I screamed, inside my head; I started praying again. Then I started reading my Bible. Then I started fellowshipping with believers--XA; Christ's Ambassadors. I was so eager to find "pure religion"--people who lived what they believed. And I did. God led me right to them, in his good timing, when I was ready, I guess. Don't give up, babe--if you don't remain in him, things get messier & darker than ever. Read your Bible. Church doesn't save you, but a relationship with God does, and the best way I know to build a relationship with him is to pray and read the Words He Wrote for Me. Hold on to him.
<3 you buckets and buckets and buckets--of rain & sunshine & dandelions:D!
Post a Comment