learning from God

One of the ways I typically learn from God is through a lot of reflection.

And those reflections, they go something like this.

I'm lying in bed (or driving around, or drinking my coffee, or whatever) thinking about a sermon, or something someone said, or a verse, or whatever.

Remembering the words.

Contemplating if they relate to me or if these are areas that have already been dealt with - and then if I'm ready for God to do some more weeding in my heart.

And then grace appears in my thoughts and quite often verses I've known since childhood come flooding into my memory.

And I listen to what God is saying.

And then we dialogue.

Sometimes I wonder what dialogue with God looks like for others.

I think one of my favourite aspects of God is that nothing He says is ever a one time thing.

Every word can be backed up by scriptures, so I don't need to worry if I've heard from Him. If the scriptures confirm, I can trust the words I hear.

And if I'm unsure, I can talk to the godly people in my life to hear/see what they think.

. . .

This conversation happened a few weeks ago.

. . .

The sermon had been good.

And I had decided that it was one of those sermons that I didn't need to worry about.

Ha! Anybody else do that? Sit in church and feel smug because the sermon is for others? Sometimes even decide who around me it is for.

Oh arrogance, how I hate you, and how often I repent of you (Even this sentence sounds arrogant to me).

So I went home. And went through my week.

But one line from the sermon just kept coming back to me.

(Speaking of the Pharisees and how they)

Made rules about the rules about the rules.

Rules aren't bad. Boundries keep us safe. But when I decide to make a rule about a rule about a rule, ALL in an attempt to look like a good Christian (cue white washed tomb reference), I've completely missed the mark.

Should I stay as far away from sin as possible? OH YES! Sooooo very far! 

Fleeing tempation. 

Running from opportunities that lead down destructive roads.

But.

I hadn't done that in this case. I was just being dumb.

If !this! was a sin, I'd added a formula to avoid it, so that I looked good. I'd turned normal things into sins, and judged others fiercely when they didn't see the sins my way.

So I'm learning (which is something I feel like I should probably put in every single post).

God is breaking down my feeble walls that I've build in a silly attempt to look strong, and He is pointing me back to Jesus.

Because in Jesus is freedom from sins.

Jesus broke all the rules

When I get fearful, confused, unsure, or whatever else I'm feeling,  I (or should I say God) reminds me that Jesus let a prostitute (a woman of the city) cry enough tears to wash His feet.

That blows my mind.

He broke all the rules.

His call is NOT for me to be a good Christian.

His call is for me to love Him with ALL of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

And then to love people a LOT!

BAM!

  One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”
    “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
(Luke 7:36-50 ESV, emphasis added)  

My church did a sermon a couple weeks ago that punched me in the gut in a really good way, on how the people of the day would make rules about the rules - which is a tendency I often find myself leaning toward. Rules make things easier. Jesus broke rules. Bam Bam Bam! This is the link - it's from November 11th.