Happy May
Yes it is may in Oklahoma, but feels more like March. We still find ways to get outside and enjoy God's creation, sports:) We were outside the other day and our 3 year old was playing golf and I noticed every time he would hit the ball, he had to bend down and stare at the ball like he is doing in this picture...every time. I finally asked,
"Case, what are you doing?"
"I am staring at the ball, momma."
"Ok, but why are you staring at the ball?"
"That's what all the people do when they play golf."
"Do you know why they bend down like that?"
"Yes! to make sure the golf ball is still there before they hit it"
Yes...the boy loves his sports and yes the boy loves his games...but no, the boy doesn't know all the rules or the reason for the rules of his sports and he is OK with that. Are we?
I have been reading the book of Mark and read the story in Mark 2: 23-28. The religious leaders known as the Pharisees, are not really excited about Jesus at this time because he was "breaking their rules"... ironically, the rules that were suppose to honor the very God they were talking to in person. In this particular story, Jesus was walking with his disciples through some grain fields and they began eating some of the grain. The Pharisees said to Jesus, "Look, why are they breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?"
They are referring to one of the 10 Commandments...you know the "Big Rules", that says "Remember the Sabbath and keep it Holy." (Exodus 20:8) Jesus replied, "The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of the people and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath."
Oh How I love that...the sabbath was created as a day of rest not a day of requirements. God knows our minds need rest. God knows our bodies need rest. God knows our hearts need rest. And we find this rest in Him not in keeping the rules. How often do we do things because of the rules of God and not the Love for God. We might go to church and check off that rule for the week. We might not take a drink of alcohol and check off that rule for the week. We might not say a dirty word and we check off that rule for the week. (Still working on this rule) We make sure to follow all these rules when all we are doing is staring at a golf ball because that is what we think we are suppose to do. We become religious when we forget the reason for the rules. When we focus on the rules we forget the relationship. When we focus on the rules we forget the risen savior. The rules were made to protect us...our hearts, mind, and bodies. The rules were made to bring us closer to God not further away from him. The rules were to made to show us that it was impossible to keep them which is why we needed a savior...we have a savior yet we still keep focusing all our efforts on keeping the rules. Jesus says it this way, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God." The Sarah Version would interpret it this way, "these people honor me with their rule following, but their hearts are far from me. Their rule focusing is a fake act of worship because they are man-driven and not God given.
Now some people will read this and believe I have given them free reign to do whatever they want when they want...But once again, the focus is on rules, or lack thereof, and not the relationship. There are a lot of things I do like church, bible study, dates with Jesus etc not because i value the rules of God but because I value the relationship with God. And there are a lot of things I don't do like watch certain shows or movies, listen to certain songs, read certain books etc. not because I am that good, but because I am that bad. I know I have so many struggles and weaknesses and if I do those certain things it affects my relationship with Jesus. Those things may not affect you like they do me. And there may be things you don't do that do because it doesn't affect me. It's all about Jesus...loving Jesus, praising Jesus and worshipping Jesus. So I would encourage you to look at your life and ask..."Am I staring at golf ball because that is what I think I am suppose to do" or are you actually studying the relationship between the ball, the putting green, and the putter so you can make the best possible play in this game we called life."
