As humans we tend to love rules – at least when they are useful to us. Many of us like to push boundaries and be ‘rule-breakers’ for a season, but for the most part we appreciate the existence of laws and regulations that help guide us and maintain some order in the world.
So often we want God to follow our rules, to live by our standards and fit in to whatever mold we have crafted that makes Him more convenient and palatable to us and the world. But Jesus did not come to make us comfortable. He came to give us ETERNAL life and that does not come without trial and tribulation in this life here and now. He came to flip worldly wisdom on its head, to fulfill the law and show us a better way that leads to true, everlasting life, well beyond the shadows of this world.
David put it so well on Sunday morning when he spoke of Jesus’ interactions with the world and his desire for our hearts. Jesus washed the feet of both his friends and his enemies. He does not condone their actions and choices, but he does NOT love them any less. So many “religious” voices in this world try to get us to live by rules and ways that put ME at the center, that distract us from the reality of Christ and get us caught up in insubstantial shadows. But Jesus puts others at the center and shows his love by serving. His actions show us that there is no measure to his love. Jesus breaks down every wall we try to put up between ourselves and our enemies; not by affirming their actions, but by building a bridge. He is loving us each to the end and making a way for us to have reconciliation with the Father.
David reminded us that Jesus is the head of the body, the firstborn from all creation and when we lose sight of him, we quickly lose our way. We can decipher the shadows from reality by asking ourselves “does this distract me from God and increase my desire for the things of this world, or does this increase my affection for and connection to Jesus?” Consider your choices today and what is taking priority in your life. Does it steal time and glory from God, or does it lead you closer to Him? Let’s strive to keep Christ at the center and fall more in love with him who makes all things new.