I wound up watching some episodes of a show yesterday that seemed relatively harmless. The characters drew me in, the plot was intriguing, and the setting was lovely.
As I lay down to try to sleep last night; however, I realized the show had affected me more than I’d realized. The scenes replaying in my mind revealed how quickly I had been drawn in and accepted things that go against my very beliefs and values.
Here was my next thought: If sin so easily ensnares and holds up captive, why aren’t we making the love of God so captivating that it ensnares everyone around us in the same way?
Hear me out. John 3:16 says that, “God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”
God’s love is captivating! He says His yoke [the tie we have with Him] is easy, and His burden upon us is light. They are not things to weigh us down or make us feel overwhelmed and unable to measure up.
As I prayed about and contemplated this last night, I thought about the Pharisee’s & the Sadducees of Jesus’ day. They made so many rules and burdens for the people that the people could hardly get to God. As the church grew after Jesus was resurrected, there were times when rules and burdens placed on the people were beyond what Jesus instructed. What about now?
If we read the Word of God for ourselves, pray, and seek God, we find out just how much we are loved, and that what we have been offered is a relationship. We can understand that once we fall in love with Him, He changes us when & if necessary. We don’t change out of obligation to rules or burdens. We change because of a real relationship with Jesus Christ. He is faithful, and He can be trusted.
If we read the Word of God for ourselves, pray, and seek God, we find out just how much He loves others, and we understand that once we can point them to Him and His love, offering them a relationship with the One who loves them as much as He loves us. How marvelous! His love will change their lives and their futures for all eternity.
And He is the One who asks them to make any earthly changes, if necessary. They don’t change out of obligation to rules, burdens, or traditions; and they don’t change to suit us. They change because of a real relationship with Jesus Christ. He is faithful, and He can be trusted.
Yes, there will be a judgment one day, and until that day, remember, God is love!
John 3:17 reminds us, “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent Him to save them!”
Let’s go forth today, and make God’s love so captivating that it ensnares those around us! And maybe binge the Word. 😉
jamie
considering the word 