Laying Down the Law
0 comments | Posted by Steven Layson on 11 May 2008 in From Steve's Study ::
I read recently an excerpt from a sermon by an American Pastor that began like this:
“I want to give you a principle that will help you in many different areas of your life. It will help you in your relationship with God, your relationship with your kids, and even your relationships at work. Here’s the principle: RULES without RELATIONSHIP leads to REBELLION. If you lay down rules for your kids to follow, but you spend no time getting to know them, involving yourself in their lives and allowing them to get to know you, then chances are that they will rebel against you. If in your work relationship, the only time that you ever have contact with your boss is when he is laying down the requirements of the job and telling you how far short you fall of those requirements, the chances are that you will resent that boss. You may not rebel outwardly for fear of losing your job, but there will probably be rebellion in your heart.”
“The same is true in your relationship with God. Part of the reason that you have a real problem with some of the laws that He has laid down for your life is because you have not ever established a personal relationship with Him or you have never worked very hard to make that relationship strong and special. Do you know that before God ever laid down the first of the Ten Commandments, He made it very clear that He wanted a special relationship with these people.”
I think he is right. God doesn’t want a “law-giver/slave relationship” with us whereby we simply follow an arbitrary list of rules to appease him. Instead God has moved to establish a “love relationship” with us. He sent his Son as an expression of his love and as a means by which this relationship can be established. He calls us to accept his offer of love, and when we do, he shows us the best way for us to live. We are obedient to God, not simply because we have to be, but because of our love for him, we want to please him in every way.
So don’t get caught up in a Christianity that is based on Rules and Rebellion, but open yourself up to an open loving Relationship with the one who holds his hands out, waiting for you to accept
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