Day 2435 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.
Psalm 119:18 NIV
What's truly sad to me is that there are some out there who will never give Christ a chance. They see this worldly religion that humans have created and they want nothing to do with it. Or maybe they're the ones who see any kind of laws or rules as these limiting factors that they don't want to adhere to. Or maybe they've just fallen so deeply in love with our society's version of freedom that they don't want to let go of the ability to run wild and live without restraint.
Whatever the case, running away from God because He has some expectations or rules or standards is a sad choice to make. But again, it's one that many will choose because they only know how to put themselves and their desires first. After all that's basically what we're all taught from a very young age. And these past few years that way of thinking has exploded in our culture. The utter lack of humility, decency, and morality is downright terrifying. And what makes it even worse is that there are some who don't see it!
Friends, there have to be standards for things to work properly. There have to be laws to help protect people and lead society in the right direction. There have to be morals that people abide by because a world without morals or compassion or kindness is a very scary place. I realize how fun and exciting a life without laws may sound, but in reality, without some sort of organization in place then we're simply left with anarchy and complete social upheaval.
Again, what's terrifying is that's exactly what some want. They look at God, faith, Scripture, sin, repentance, prayer, commandments, and every other aspect of our beliefs and they think we're nuts. Why live by rules when our world tells you that you can do anything you want? Why think about sin or guilt or admitting our mistakes when we can pretend that everything is okay? Why not ignore all the warning signs and throw caution to the wind so that we can have more fun?
Laws and rules have been given such a bad connotation that the very mention of them sends people running away. But God's standards and His desire for us to be holy and to live righteously is in no way limiting. In fact, His ways bring us a kind of freedom that has no limits. Freedom from fear. Freedom from worry. Freedom from doubt. Freedom from this inherent need to seek acceptance. Freedom from having to justify ourselves in order to gain the approval of others. Freedom from chasing things that only gather dust or get thrown away. Freedom from the guilt and shame that our mistakes bring.
And the list goes on and on. And that's what's sad about those who look at faith and only see rules. They only see what they can't do. They only think about everything they'll have to stop or give up or walk away from. They don't consider the freedom that God's law brings. They don't think about the growth and wisdom that is there for the taking. They just see rules.
Friends, please know that God's law isn't there to limit what we can do or the amount of enjoyment we can have. It's there to lead us to something better than a life spent living for ourselves while trying to ignore the guilt and regret that doing so brings. It's there to help us learn right from wrong, good from evil, and to lead us along the path that leads to eternal peace and rest. It's all about making us better people who love more, hurt others less, and aim for something bigger than a list of accomplishments and possessions that lose their meaning when our lives on this earth are done.
Our world's version of freedom may look like nothing but fun and excitement while God's version may seem quite different. Just know that how things appear on the very surface and what they actually lead to are often very different things. Just give His way a chance. I promise you that there is nothing but good to be found by following Him.
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