A friend asked a question on her blog: To Lent or not to Lent. It seems people in the church her husband pastors want to do the Ash Wednesday observance, 40 days of Lent observations.
I can't help but wonder what the purpose for religious observances is. Do we think God is happy with us when we do them? I do not see how we love God, us and our neighbors by religious observance. It see ms like we try very hard to do things that will make Father love us and be happy with us. BUT GOD can't love us any more than He already does. He is more interested in keeping us close to Him than in casting us away.
Even after getting saved I kept thinking I had to do..........do............do............and the bottom line in my heart was so that God would be happy with me and there by love me..........
It's taken The Holy Spirit a long time (in my estimation) and a lot of work to get me to the point that I know God's love and consequently find my heart's desire is to be all He wants me to be. The being comes from my being in Him and being transformed by His power. In realizing I am in Him and He is in me I am finding transformation a lot easier. It's not that I didn't have intellectual knowledge of this, but it hadn't been “lifed” to me. Now my works, that I know are led by Him, are not a burden but a response to His love. They are not manipulation. They are not my flesh saying, “If I do this I'll feel good that I did this for God”.
The following is an excerpt from Angels on Assignment by Roland Buck. It is found in Chapter 4. The website is http://www.angelsonassignment.org/
One of the discoveries which was so beautiful to me in heaven, was the total absence of the piety people often want to apply to their lives when they think of God! There was none there! Everything was on a light, happy, relaxed basis, with real brightness! I didn't feel like I had to walk on eggs because I was totally at ease! I didn't have to think twice of what I was going to say for fear I would displease someone for there was a sense of total openness. It was a beautiful, but awesome experience that I will never forget!
God emphasized to me that we should quit worrying about HIS responsibilities. He actually let me view people who are trying to serve him by seeing how much they can get their minds in tune with him, by trying to think just exactly right, or trying to say the right word at the right time! God emphasized to me, "That is my business. You worship me, walk with me, put your hand in mine, get your heart in tune with me and I will give you the privilege of moving with me.
"Let me take care of my own business! What I have promised is my business, and I will take care of it. I have not failed in all of this time. Not even one of my words has failed in all of my good promises."
I believe this is the meaning of the word "piety" as it is used here:dutifulness in religion
Jesus condemned the pharisees for their religions practices. He so badly wanted relationship. He had it with His disciples but those who should have recognized Him did not.....
So lent or not to lent...........I guess it depends on the reason
1 comments:
I hear your heart and am in agreement. I spent MANY years working my way towards God. It was MY yoke not His.
He has been setting my heart free. I have discovered that in "stillness", which means to be slack, to abate, to be slothful. He has become God. He turned from being a noun to a verb. Noun means object, verb means action. It is in the stillness that I cease my work and efforts....and He becomes God in me...full, overflowing, acting all that He desires through me.
It's about relationship, not responsibility, expectancy, not expectations!
I loved what you wrote!
Have you read the book, The Shack? If not I think you might enjoy it, based on what I have read here.
Also, did I see that you were in Georgia? I am in Georgia, (Ellijay, GA). If you are in Georgia, what city are you in?
Have a blessed day,
Julie
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