It's a Relationship, Not Stuff to Do

It's interesting to me how we often hear, or say that Christianity is simply a relationship with Jesus; yet we treat our relationship with Jesus in a way that we wouldn't treat any other relationship.

There are two major pitfalls we can fall into. One we look at Jesus as the answer to our problems, and nothing more. We swing by to make requests, or complaints, and then don't say another word until something else goes wrong. What other relationships would thrive in that environment?

The second opposite extreme to that scenario is the one I want to focus on here. We say we are in relationship with Jesus, but we are really just trying to do stuff that we think would make Him happy, or do things that make us seem like we are in relationship with Him.

Here is what I mean by that. We don't smoke, don't chew, don't go with guys and girls who do. We don't swear, we don't steal, we smile, we go to church, we help people.

All of those things are great, but none of those things constitute a relationship with Jesus.

We can do all those things really well, and never even talk to Jesus.

Not swearing doesn't improve your relationship with Jesus any more than typing on your computer makes you a closer friend of Bill Gates.

Part of being in relationship with Jesus is the dramatic and beautiful affect it has on our daily living.

But that's the model, relationship with Jesus is followed by our changed behavior.

We don't change our behavior, and by default we progress in our relationship with Jesus.

So here is my encouragement to you this week.

Next time you begin to do, or not do something out of a religious habit; instead, pause in that moment, and simply say, "Hey God, it's me. Anything you want to say to me?"

You will be so glad you did.

What Matters Most

I heard someone say the other day that, "the church is the only organization where the members expect every need, every preference, and every obstacle to be fixed and met by the leadership." Essentially, this person was making the observation that the "church" or the people that go to a church have become convinced that the job of the church is to meet all their needs and desires.

This may not seem like a big deal, I mean after all haven't we all heard a friend or family member say, "I need to look for a new church, this one isn't meeting our needs." or, "I am looking for a church that really focuses on all the things that are important to us." or finally, "We are doing some church shopping to find a church that really does well in all the areas that are important to us." 

Maybe some of those statement you yourself have said, maybe they don't bother you at all, or maybe all three make your skin crawl. 

Regardless of your stance on these statements I want you to consider a few things. 

The Disciples followed Jesus for around 3 years. During that time, they saw Jesus do amazing things for all sorts of people. He healed, fed, and encouraged the poor, the rich, the wicked and the innocent. 

The Disciples really only found themselves getting into trouble when they did one thing... 

In Luke 9:46 and again in Luke 22:24 the Disciples are found arguing about which of them is the greatest. 

Jesus rebukes their thinking both times. 

The Disciples lost perspective when they began to think following Jesus was about them, and not about others.   

So let me encourage you with this thought; when you consider your faith, your walk with Jesus, how much of that is about you, and how much of that is about others?

Jesus wants to speak through you, He wants to bless others through you. Don't miss out on those opportunities by focusing on the wrong things. You will be so glad you did!

For more blogs by Daniel, please click here danielcsabo.com  

Sometimes the Perfect Response is Rest

I don't know if you are like me, but I am one of those strange people that fight feelings of guilt when I take time off from work. 

I worry about who will have to carry my load when I'm gone, and I fret over what I may have forgotten to tell someone before I left. 

I envy the people who clock out and switch into vacation mode, and don't give it another thought until they walk back into the office when they get back. 

The reality is, vacations are a great thing. In fact, rest in general is a wonderful thing. Taking a break is at times the best decision you can make. 

Luke 5:16 says, But He (Jesus) would withdraw to desolate places and pray. 

Jesus understood that getting away, resting, withdrawing was an important part of healthy living. He certainly felt the stress and pull of people's needs and expectations; so He got away when He needed to.

 

So here is my encouragement to you today. If you have been feeling overwhelmed, or stretched thin, it's probably time for you to withdraw and get away from it all. You may not have the ability to drive off to a hotel for a weekend, but it may just take an opportunity to turn off your phone and computer, and go sit on your back porch, or just go to a park and sit. Let the busyness of life fade away, get alone and let God offer you rest. 

Trust me, even when things are crazy, sometimes the perfect response to your situation is rest.