Be

[After watching people for 50 years I think it's fair to say that no one is perfect. Translated, that means that everyone is broken in different areas...to varying degrees.   

In a doctor's waiting room might be three patients...one with the measles, another with a toothache and a third with a broken arm. It's safe to assume the doctor will take different actions and prescribe different remedies for each...even though the goal...health...is the same for all of them. 

I write this because it occurred to me that not everyone is broken in the way that I am, and the home-made remedies I'm prescribing for myself might not work for anyone else. (Heck, they might not even work for me...) I put these out on the web in the hope that if someone is broken in the way I'm broken, this might be of some help or comfort to them. That's all.]

 

A pastor challenged our congregation to come up with a word that's the opposite of "life." Of course, no one answered since that's a no-win situation. If you answer the obvious question with the obvious answer, you're viewed as a suck-up. And then there's always the chance it's a trick question and you'll answer incorrectly. Then you're viewed as a suck-up...who's stupid, too. Best to be cool and let someone else take the fall.
 

Well, in this case, it was a trick question...and the correct answer was "separation." Life, the pastor explained, was the joining of the body and soul. Death was the separation of them.
 

This sort of concept is embraced in the Bible. Jesus said that He was the vine and we are the branches. If we are joined to Him we will live the spiritual life. If we are separate from Him, our spiritual life will wither and die. So the opposite of "life" is "separation."
 

I feel so strongly that this alone is the essence of life...that our trust and faith in Jesus as our savior is ALL that's required for salvation and spiritual growth. We don't need to DO anything else.
 

"But," you say, "Doesn't the book of James tell us that faith without works is dead?" Sure does. But the faith comes first. The relationship with God comes first. The actions follow...they flow out as a RESULT of that relationship. Like the fruit which can't help but grow in the right conditions, people who are in a close relationship with God can't help but follow His lead and the result will be good spiritual works.
 

God is so powerful, so awesome, so overwhelming, so compelling, so irresistable...that if you're in a relationship with Him, you Cannot Help But Be Transformed by Him. If you're not transformed by Him, it's safe to say that you're not in a close relationship with him. So faith in God that does not result in eventual works...is a dead faith.
 

How do you get closer, living faith?  I'm trying the Spiritual Loser's Operational Plan (SLOP). Spending time in getting to know how big and powerful and unsearchable and fascinating He is. Learning how much he loves us...love that is so large and unfathomable that it's just impossible to conceive. He's given us his son...the most humungous, loving, permanent commitment ever made in any history, and has lovingly proclaimed to all Creation that He is glad to be forever know to all as a family member with sinners like us.  We will never, ever, ever find a better deal than this.
 

This is not "religion." I hate "religion." "Religion" is doing acts on your own behalf to attempt to please or placate your god. Christianity is not a religion. It's a relationship. You don't need to attempt to please God because Jesus has taken away your past, present and future sins and God finds nothing...absolutely nothing...displeasing about those who have trusted His son with their lives and souls. No need to placate Him. He's already perfectly pleased and delighted in you.
 

You don't have to "do" anything. All you have to do is relate to him. Talk with Him. Be with Him. Don't "do." Just "be." That's all. And from that relationship, the "do's" will eventually flow as a result of his love for you.
 

Some fruit trees take years before they begin producing fruit. So it might take a while. Never fear. God knows this too.
 

But please, please, please STOP trying to earn what He's ALREADY given you. If you do an action to try to make God love you more, or less angry with you, it's sin and it's wrong and you need to stop it and repent. If, though, you do THE EXACT SAME ACTION as a result of your thankfulness for God's gift of Jesus to you, then it's good, holy, and pleasing to God.
 

Get out of religion and into a relationship. Don't "do." Instead,"be." Just "be with Him." In the book of John, they asked Jesus, "What must we do, to do the works of God?" And Jesus said "Believe on the one whom he has sent." That's it. No "do." Believe. Embrace Jesus. Be. Relax and just "be."

Here's a mental picture I have...and I'm thinking this is right...it's my best guess anyway.  Imagine you own a big 4-masted ship.  Each mast has a name...the first one is "heart," the second is "mind," the third one is "soul" and the fourth on is "strength."  You're the boss.

Let's say you've decided to follow Jesus, so you invite him to command and own the vessel.  Now since there's two of you, you'll need to divide the workload.

Here's your work.  You raise the sails on all four masts.  You trust him with your heart, mind, soul and strength.  Unfurl the sails as completely as you can, and keep them unfurled as best as you can.  That's your role.  If you want extra credit, head on down to the pilot house and hang out with Jesus as he steers the ship.

Here's the rest of your job:  1. Don't worry.  2. Don't steer.

Jesus owns the ship.  As hard as it is not to worry, I (try to)rest assured that he commands not only the ship, but the universe as well.  He cares about me more than I ever could, and he has the resources to do anything and everything.  What benefit do I find in worrying?

Yet, if I decide things are too scary, I snatch back the captain's hat, lower down the sails and jump back in to steer...and he lets me.  And I park it right on a set of boulders.

And patiently he waits for me to admit my foolishness, and re-raise the sails while he miraculously lifts the boat off the rocks and we set off again.