See what kind of love the Father has given to us in that we should be called God’s children, and that is what we are! –1 John 3:1 CEB
I’m having one of those Mondays when I keep thinking of ways I wish
I’d preached differently. Yesterday’s
text was Luke 13:10-17 in which Jesus heals a woman who has been bound by Satan
for 18 years, causing her to walk bent over. The issue is that Jesus heals her
on a sabbath day, and healing is prohibited work on the sabbath. The language in the text is a play on the
words tie/untie and compares the woman to a beast of burden, so I talked about
the burdens we carry and the need to let them go or help one another to carry
them.
The question I wish I’d asked yesterday is whether we think
of the Bible as a book of rules or as a love story, and how those two different
approaches affect our relationship with God.
Is God the critical parent waiting to catch us and punish us, or is God
helping us know how much he loves us? Is
following Jesus about being right or being loving? Nothing is as black and white as I’m painting
this, but I think all of us lean one way or the other.
Thankful today for 1 John 3:1 and the reminder that whether
or not I get everything right, God still loves me.
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You may be wondering why I chose this picture of alpacas. Here's why: It's the only picture that came up when I typed "ruminating" into the search bar on Unsplash, and I think it's funny. I hope you enjoy it too.
Photo by Karim MANJRA on Unsplash
I think growing up, Sunday school and youth group lessons were more focused on the rules. As an adult, I have seen and needed more of God’s love story. Something that helps me reign in my tendency to be judgmental of others is to remember God’s unfailing love for them. God is the judge, not me, so I do not need to look for or notice or count their wrongs. I am trying to err on the side of love.
ReplyDeleteMe, too.
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