A lot of times lately I hear a statement in my mind that goes, “It doesn’t matter.” It is usually in reference to something I am facing that I would rather not do or go through. It might be a way of self-comforting or a mechanism of dealing with life so as to be able to go on and perform or endure. It may be a way of dismissing as trivial those things that are bothering me and seem distressing or disturbing at the time. It helps me cope. It is my way of trying to put things into perspective. It seems as though there are more and more things all the time that “don’t matter.” This is what matters to me. I can’t dismiss everything that comes my way and just merrily go on my way as if nothing matters. I need an answer to the question, “what does matter?” In other words, what should I be reacting to in my life? What should I be doing? Is it enough to simply depend on the Holy Spirit to guide and direct without questioning what is truly important and what isn’t? Can one be absolutely sure that it is the Holy Spirit that is leading? Obviously I have more questions than answers. There are some things that I have been reflecting upon that I believe to be true though. I believe that Jesus died so that all who believe in Him and choose to accept Him as their Lord and Savior could be free from the burden of guilt and shame. I believe that this is not a performance-based contract. In other words, if you will do certain things, I will relieve you of your guilt and shame. No. This is a free gift. Any other conditions placed on this are wrong… soooooo wrong! I believe in Jesus as the Son of God, God incarnate, who died on a cross for the sins of the world because the world was incapable of doing anything to reconcile itself to God. I believe that God is angrily against spiritual manipulation that binds people to performance to try to achieve forgiveness, acceptance, love, and freedom from guilt or shame. This is clearly demonstrated by the act of Jesus upsetting the carts of the money changers and sellers in the temple in Matthew 21:12. MT 21:12 Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 "It is written," he said to them, " `My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a `den of robbers.' " NIV
These buyers and sellers were not only robbing those who came to worship of their money. They were robbing them of free access to their God and free access to forgiveness of their sin. They were placing conditions on their “salvation” if you will.
I can’t help but wonder, how many people are in bondage today in the name of “salvation?” Allow me to coin a phrase. They are not “saved” so much as they are “slaved.” Their “slavation” is based on spiritual abuse. They are in bondage to the agendas of men.
The truth is, salvation is free! It is not a first step to entering into bondage; it is a first step into the gates of heaven; a right relationship with God. What we are in bondage to is simple. It is what we desire in our hearts. This is what we will bow to, pursue and live for.
Worship is nothing more than showing gratitude to God for the free gift He has given; for loving us first. We do this because it is the desire in our hearts, nothing more. Anything else is wrong, soooooo wrong!
What did Jesus do for me? He took away the guilt and shame. He lifted them right out of me and caused my heart, my whole being to be so free and light as to make me feel as if I could fly. The joy He gave that filled my heart was indescribable. I would love to say that I feel that every day but sadly I cannot. What I do know every day though is that Jesus is real and loving and powerful and faster than anything you can imagine and when you really need Him to come and touch you in that special way, He will be there. He is my Super Hero, my Mr. Fix It and my reason for being. Why? What really does matter?
It is really simple. It is just sharing Him with others. The real Jesus with real people who need Him as I do every day. |
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