Monday, January 25, 2010

The Reason

"I reflect at night on who you are, O Lord;
therefore, I obey your instructions."
Psalm 119:55 NLT

I read this passage this morning and it really moved me. The writer affirms why we follow Christ. Because of who he is. I don't feel forced to follow Christ. I do so because of his great love for me. I want to follow him. He has rescued me from hurts, habits, and hang ups. He gives me strength for today and hope for tomorrow.

Before I had a relationship with Jesus as my Lord and savior, the Bible was boring. It was nothing but a bunch of "do's and don'ts." I thought,"Who needs this stuff!" But when my life was in crisis, Jesus became very real to me. Not as a harsh God waiting for me to screw up, but my father, my friend, and my Lord.

We can become focused on the rules of scripture. Fear, duty, and approval can be the motivation to obey God. Many just give up. But when we focus on the person of Jesus Christ, our love for him becomes the motivation to obey him.

To focus on Jesus you have to get to know him. Once you experience the love he offers, religion and rules go out the window. Obeying Christ becomes an expression of love.

No comments:

Post a Comment