by MeredithNMills | Dec 20, 2014 | grace, rest, Uncategorized
“My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you -” Galatians 4:19.
Ahhh, Christmastime…shining lights, the smell of Christmas trees, bell ringers, happy music, and shopping. Lots of shopping. Everyone bustling about in search of the perfect gift. Because Christmas seems to be all about the gifts. And with good reason. After all, Christmas started with God’s most precious gift of His Son to a sinful world.
But you know, it’s interesting how God presented His gift of Jesus. This priceless Gift came so simply – wrapped not in the costly garments of royalty, but in rags. Announced by angels not to the “important” people of His day, but to humble shepherds. Bringing not the earthly peace people longed for, but the offer of peace with God. So simple. So understated. And yet, so like God. He just doesn’t seem concerned about outward appearances.
Lately I’ve been studying in Galatians. I was struck by the contrast between Paul’s ministry goal (Gal 4:19, above) and that of the false teachers he warns against (Gal 6:12-13). The false teachers were consumed with making “a good showing in the flesh.” They wanted their followers to look good – to be good rule-keepers (which, by the way, the teachers themselves couldn’t even do!) Kind of like a beautiful, shiny gift with nothing at all inside. Admirable to look at, but hollow and empty of any true value.
Paul, on the other hand, labored to see Christ formed IN those to whom he ministered. Rule-keeping (specifically here in regard to circumcision) doesn’t matter. What matters to God is a heart-change – a “new creation” (Gal 6:15). This new creation comes about when we place our faith in Christ (2 Cor 5:17) and the Holy Spirit takes up residence within us. Our new life now is to be guided by faith, rather than by a list of do’s and don’t’s (Gal 2:20). As we walk by faith, being led by the Spirit (Gal 5:16, 22-25), we fulfill a new law – the law of Christ. This new law is the law of love (Gal 6:2, John 13:34-35.) As the Spirit (not you and I!) produces His fruit in and through us (Gal 5:22-25), our faith overflows in loving service to others (Gal 5:6, 13).
This, Paul says, is what matters to God. Not the doing. But the being. Being a new creation. Having faith – faith that brings about salvation, and faith that works itself out in daily, Spirit-led living.
On the outside, a life of law and a life of grace may look pretty similar. But what’s inside is vastly different. A focus on rule-keeping may produce a neat and tidy life, one that is full of good works that others praise and admire. But it also produces emptiness, weariness and a constant demand to do better. A life led by grace, however, is a life of spiritual rest. By grace through faith, I am already righteous before God so I don’t have to prove that to Him or anyone else. I can relax and rest in my relationship with Him. He is my Daddy and I am His extravagantly loved child. I can trust Him to lead me moment-by-moment, allowing His peace to rule in my heart (Col 3:15) and His Spirit to express Himself through me (Gal 5:16, 22-25).
What about you, my friend? What does God see when He looks inside? Does He see someone desperately trying to “keep it all together,” to do all the right things for Him and others? Does He see His beloved child running frantic with the demands of life (especially the Christmas craziness)? Be still, my friend. Stop striving, relax, let go. He is God (Ps 46:10). Enjoy Him. Walk with Him. He loves you enough to come to your world, to live the simplest of lives and die the worst of deaths. All to make you His. What greater Gift could we ever receive?
by MeredithNMills | Dec 10, 2014 | abiding in Christ, rest, Uncategorized
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” Matthew 11:28-30.
Overworked, weary, exhausted? Pick me, pick me!
Do those verses resonate within you? They strike a chord deep inside my soul. The word “weary” could also be translated “work to exhaustion.” That is me so much of the time. Exhausted. Worn out. Weary of the treadmill of life. Long nights and even longer days. Have you been there?
And “heavy-laden”- that means “to load up” or “overburden.” Do you feel “loaded up” with burdens, with cares, with responsibilities? It’s just the nature of life to carry burdens. Whatever the job description, responsibilities and “burdens” come with the territory.
A while back, I made a list of the “sea of demands” weighing on me…teaching my kids, preparing meals and snacks, laundry, cleaning, errands, activities, friendships. I should be investing in people outside my home. I should be a fun mom (who doesn’t care if they spill sugar on the floor when they want to help cook.) I should have my kids’ friends over and do crafts with them. I should invite people to our home for dinner. I should have a cleaning routine. I should cook healthier food. I should learn to coupon. I should potty train soon so we can stop paying for diapers. And on top of it all, I should be making time for daily prayer and Bible study. But how, oh how, is one person to do it all?
Into this chaos and craziness comes a gentle invitation. “If you’re weary and overworked, come to Me. I will give you rest.”
It’s interesting to note that He doesn’t confine this invitation to a certain scheduled time of day – “If you come meet with Me every morning, you will find rest.” Instead He invites me to get in the “yoke” with Him, to walk with Him every. single. moment. The picture is that of two animals fastened together, working in sync to pull a cart or a plow. When I am connected to Him , He carries the weight of my burdens. The work He calls me to do, He does with me and through me because I’m in the yoke with Him. (John 15 calls this “abiding in Him”.)
In addition to “taking His yoke,” He invites me to learn from Him. The weight of the plow is made lighter as the two oxen walk in step. Similarly, as I learn to become more like Jesus, I am falling into step with Him.
Of all His attributes, He chose to list here His gentleness and humility. Biblical gentleness is not just a personality trait that comes naturally for some and not for others. It is “that attitude of the spirit in which we accept God’s dealings with us as good and do not dispute or resist…It is a condition of mind and heart that demonstrates gentleness not in weakness but in power. It is a virtue born in strength of character.”* It is “the opposite to self-assertiveness and self-interest. It stems from trust in God’s goodness and control over the situation…This is a work of the Holy Spirit, not of human will (Galatians 5:23).”**
Jesus was gentle and humble. His heart was at rest. As we walk with Him and learn from Him, our hearts can rest, too.
Please don’t misunderstand me. Concentrated, set-aside time alone with Him is vital. We learn of Him and become like Him by studying His Word and talking with Him in prayer. How precious and life-giving is His Word (Psalm 119:97)!
But God is not confined to our alone times with Him. He wants to walk with us and show us how to apply His Word in the moment-by-moment grind of life. He wants all of life to be worship, not just set aside times of singing or studying or praying. His yoke is easy and His burden is light because He carries the weight of it for us! He wants us to rest, even in the midst of life’s struggles. His heart toward us is good. His love for us is unfathomable.
Do you need rest? Come to Jesus. Share His yoke. Learn from Him. And find rest.
*Lexical Aids to the New Testament from the Key Word Study Bible
**Blue Letter Bible Lexicon
