Simple but TRUE
I have had the blessed opportunity to work closely with several different individuals and groups of people affiliating themselves with Christ over the last 15 years. Some of them seemed to really “get it” while most appear to miss the real Truth of why we’re here and what we’re here to do/be.
Most fall into two categories…those who are intent on following the “rules” and those who are intoxicated with the “signs and wonders”. The boundaries or “rules” set down by God are to help us grow and to draw us to Him. (By the way…I used to be a rule follower myself.) They show us that we truly need the grace offered us by God Almighty through the death and resurrection of His son, Christ Jesus. They do NOT make us better people by following them…they don’t gain us approval by God…Paul addresses this in Galatians 2:19 and again in Galatians 3:11:
Gal 2:19 When I tried to obey the law’s standards, those laws killed me. As a result, I live in a relationship with God. I have been crucified with Christ.
Gal 3:11 No one receives God’s approval by obeying the law’s standards since, “The person who has God’s approval will live by faith.” 
At the same time the scriptures indicate that signs and wonders are simply a way for God to demonstrate His presence and love for us. They are nothing more and nothing less. They are a tool used again, to draw us to Him. They are not to be our focus. The apostles and other saints before us lived a life full of signs and wonders, but the signs and wonders weren’t their focus…Christ was.
Sooooooooo, why are we here. What do we need to be doing? Well have I got good news for ALL of us! The answer is so simple and yet so very profound! We are here to be loved by God, to love God and to share His love with others! I was so relieved when I found myself finally listening to God through the scriptures on this one. I kept hearing “relax…rest in Me, let me love you. Love me because I love you and share this love with everyone you encounter.” How refreshing! Do I believe God still works through signs and wonders? Oh yeah! Do I believe the boundaries He set forth in His WORD are an important part of my life? Most definitely! But my motivation is simply to Love and to be Loved!
What do you think? Please let me know…I am always looking to grow.
P.S. I admit, simple does not equate to easy…
Right on, bro! I wish I had a better grip on this. As hard as it is to admit, I have trouble believing that God loves me the same whether or not I follow the rules.
The irony is, I don’t love my kids any more when they are being good v. when they aren’t. Still…I can’t seem to apply it to myself.
mark
It’s so easy to get caught up in both the rules God sets for us and in the magnificent events from God. These are good things as you have mentioned. And you’re right that we can easily fall into 1 of those categories. Because it is so easy to fall into 1 of those it is also easy to forget the main point of being. God created us to love him and to be loved by Him. God bless you for reminding me again of this simply profound truth! Praise the Lord!
As Joe always says, “Love God and love people.”