FRIDAY, JULY 1ST, 2022, SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS

 FRIDAY, JULY 1ST, 2022 SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS

“So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.”

Galatians 5:1

Humans sometimes can be tied down.  Jesus summarized the law as:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength

Love your neighbor as yourself  (Matthew 22:37)

But, we want to make rules.

Rules can be good - but sometimes they can be confining.  And, sometimes we confuse rules with good practices and good practices with rules.

Paul (who was writing to the Galatians here) says “Hey you are FREE”.  In particular, in his time, the Jewish Christians wanted men to be circumcised. (Ouch)  Paul says “No - you don’t have to be circumcised, you don’t have to follow Jewish dietary laws, you don’t have to follow ANY of the Jewish laws.  

There is a concept “Love God and do as you want”.  (Hey - that’s real freedom!!).  But, the underlying principle is that if you REALLY love God, you will want to do HIS (HER/THE FORCE) will!!!

Someplace in history, a person decided that for him, it was valuable to genuflect when entering your seat (pew).  It was an honor to be in the presence of God.  So, now, in some churches, people genuflect when they get into a seat.

Somewhere in history, a person decided that for him/her, it was valuable to think of Jesus’ death on the cross - so he/she traced a cross of his/her body - thinking of that ultimate sacrifice.  Maybe another person decided since there were four points on the cross, he/she could remember the Trinity by saying “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” (or in the past - Holy Ghost).

Rules crept into faith practices.  It is good to fast and pray - and let’s make Lent a season of fasting and praying - with no meat on Fridays and fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.  

When rules become the object and must be followed, the verse for the day (So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law) can be a rule.  What if I like to fast on Tuesdays?  What if I clean the ashes off my forehead (so people don’t know I’m fasting

Matthew 6:16-18: ““When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.  But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

I don’t want to “scream” LOOK AT ME - I’M FASTING!!!  

I learned Galatians 5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

 

BUT, don’t get entangled or tied up again in the world of rules, and laws, do this, don’t do that.  And, don’t use your freedom to go off the deep end.  “Hey, I’m free!!!  WOOO!  I’m going to beat my spouse, I’m going to use and sell illegal drugs, I’m going to cheat on my taxes”.

“So if what I eat (or wear or do) causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat (or wear naked sleeves or use the restroom) again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.” 1 Corinthians 8:13

*****

So, my faith is, well, my faith.  I try to live my faith as an individual and in a collective manner.  I’ve been known to raise my hands in praise.  I’ve been known to (in my brain), pray in tongues.  I’ve been known to talk casually with God - without ‘thee” words.  I’m also like Luke 18:13 - “Lord be merciful to me a sinner” - because I am a sinner.  (and to be a transgender woman is REALLY a BIG SIN to certain people).

Galatians 1:10 “Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.”

*****

Okay, rambling is done for today.  (Lord be merciful to me a sinner)

LOVE WINS

Love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8).  “I can only love God as much as the person I love the least”.  I am to love all people (and I trip and fall!!)

Karen

July 1, 2022