Thursday, July 31, 2008

Rules versus Relationship

Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?
I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.
(Galatians 3:1-5 NLT)



Are you a person who follows all the rules easily? Were you the child that if your parents just said, "we don’t play in the canal because it’s dangerous," you took them at their word and stayed clear of the canal? Or are you the adult who has a hard time going 35 mph on the way to the grocery store so you bump it up to 40mph?

I am in a season of my relationship with God where I am learning and asking a bunch of questions about rules. My eyes and ears have been on a heightened alert to the rules around me.


I have recently been thinking about the rules we have in our home. This is what is on our fridge.






I want to be more focused on my relationship with my boys than the rules my boys need to follow. I want to build a relationship with them, so that out of love, obedience will come.

What about when we are living life with people; are we more focused on the fact that they are not following the rules? Or are we loving them and leaving the obedience thing up to their Creator? Are our churches more focused on keeping things clean, neat and in order? Or do we have places people can come and be loved on?


"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" Galatians 2:20-21

4 comments:

Every good and perfect gift said...

Thanks for the birthday wishes!

too kind!

Nicole said...

Thanks for reminding us that God's love is so powerful! His love is the most important thing. Perfect love casts out fear. 1 John 4:18
I believe it is very difficult to totally and completely understand the depth of God's love for me, but I know the more that I get to know Him the more I trust Him and want to obey Him. I suppose this is true with an earthly parent child relationship. Very Cool post!

Blessings,
Nicole

TAMI said...

Found you today from Jen's "Beauty & Bedlam" site.

Galatians is all about freedom found in the "Law of Love." S-l-o-w-l-y but surely my life and our family are moving more to its anthem!!

My ADHD Me said...

How many times do we hear our kids say "It's not fair" because maybe a friend of theirs doesn't have to follow the rules that you have OR they break the rules and get away with it? As adults, we too sometimes get that same feeling of "That's not fair". We need to remember that we must concentrate on our own rules and what's important to us...not what others are doing. Once our "glass house" is unbreakable, then maybe we can then throw a few stones.
Thanks for visiting Monkey's Are Funny. (here's a secret...they really aren't that funny. If you read my first post you'll see why I chose that name).
Have a terrific evening!
Also, another great blog is chatty kelly. I think you would like it.