From religious to Grace covered!
I get the whole concept of saved by grace. It was hard to swallow initially, the whole idea of getting to heaven by accepting a handout. I was taught to earn my own way and not be a moocher. But once I accepted that, and accepted Christ, I was so excited realizing I was free from guilt and shame and have a guarantee of going to heaven.
I'm a rule follower by nature. I hate to break rules or commitments, even for a good reason. In my early days as a Christian, I was very legalistic. But I thought I was over that... Until I read chapter 6 of Limitless Life by Derwin Gray. But something about that chapter caught my attention. I guess I felt like the brother of the prodigal son. Earlier in the book it kept telling about how God treated people who were far off. I felt kind of jealous. But then I read chapter 6 and realized I can have the same gift from God!
The Bible describes the reaction of the prodigal son's brother at the loving welcome his father gave to his evil brother.
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ” (Luke 15:28-32 NIV)
Soooo... Does this tell me about God's view of my relationship with Him?
you are always with me, and everything I have is yours
Shouldn't that be enough? Shoukdnt that be exciting to me?
Or in the story of Mary and Martha, I am definitely Martha...Jesus tell my sister to help me. Why should she get to sit around and just enjoy you!
The whole time I spent reading chapter 6 I kept hearing a voice in my head saying "You foolish Galatians...you foolish Galatians"
I looked up the verse:
You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? (Galatians 3:1-3 NIV)
I'm still working through what this means for me. There is a chart in the "Transformation Moment" in the chapter. It shows the difference between Religion and Grace. I need to spend some time with that chart. I want my relationship with God to be joyful and exciting and fulfilling. And I know God wants that too. As He says: I desire mercy, not sacrifice"
