Day 268 – Ludicrous Limitations
Having a Heart in a Sometimes Heartless World
Scripture focus: Jesus said, “Get up, take your bedroll, start walking.” The man was healed on the spot. He picked up his bedroll and walked off. That day happened to be the Sabbath. The Jews stopped the healed man and said, “It’s the Sabbath. You can’t carry your bedroll around. It’s against the rules.” John 5:8-10 The Message
I have the most interesting life! While shopping for eggplant, I was accosted by a gentleman who felt compelled to give me some feedback about my life. You need to understand that I’ve never met this guy, and I don’t think he’s ever met me! But he knew of my affiliation with NorthStar Community, and so he made some assumptions and offered some unsolicited advice. As he began, I chose to listen carefully. Although I understand the principle of asking for permission before offering feedback, I didn’t discount him simply because he wasn’t following my protocol!
“The problem with you people is…” And we went on to talk about the many rules he felt we were breaking in our attempts to help the hurting. It was a carefully constructed lecture. He made some valid points.
Another day I had the same kind of experience, but this “critique” took the opposite position, finding fault with the very things the other guy probably would have considered great ideas. (Wouldn’t it be fun for the two of them to meet on a blind date?) I appreciate the level of passion people have for the mission of NSC. But I sometimes find the conflicting advice confusing. Fortunately, I’ve read John 5 a few billion times.
Here’s the deal. God can’t be locked in a box. Man’s attempt to limit how he expresses himself doesn’t appear to sit well with Holy God. God is in the business of taking cripples and getting them walking. God is more concerned with restoration than he is with legislation. Some people find the Christ-centered 12-steps an essential part of their recovery process; others manage to find their way back to God with little to no understanding of those materials. Different people have one list of “must do’s” to worship, and others have a different set of criteria for evaluating a great day in the house of the Lord.
All those different opinions are fine; most of them are even well-informed. But over and above all these strongly held beliefs and opinions, rules and restrictions – Holy God prevails. His Spirit sweeps in and moves among us. His ways are mysterious. So I want to encourage you today. Whether or not you or someone you love thinks you’re following all the requirements to gain entry to the throne of grace, I want you to know that God is big enough to hold you in his hand. He can choose to heal you of your infirmities any old time he pleases – on the Sabbath or otherwise. Because God is God. He is the God who is and will. He shows up in the midst of our lives and turns everything right-side-up. Not because we’ve figured out the magic formula for how to get God to give us what we want, nor because we’ve somehow managed to stumble upon a way to convince God to save us from ourselves. God saves and restores, resurrects and renovates – because it is within His prevailing purposes to do so! May you have a God-renovated kind of day!
Recommended reading: Isaiah 46 and 47 in the morning; Isaiah 48 and Ephesians 4 in the evening
Copyright 2008 NorthStar Community
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