On Target?

I admit that I am not an archery expert, enthusiast, or even remotely good at it. I did have the opportunity to do some target shooting with a bow, though. I wasn't too bad until I got more than 10 or 15 feet from the target. I bring this up, not to brag on my own ability, but to highlight my own insufficiency.

We are reminded in Scripture that "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) To sin is to "miss the mark" as I often did shooting at the target, and as we all do in multiple ways each day. For some it is like taking a shot in the dark or without any consideration for where the target is even located. Other times we know where the mark is, but because of our own limitations and frailties we fall short of the target. To truly make it right, we confess we can't do it on our own and that we are in need of the righteousness from God. The "law" only points out our failings (just as the target reveals how often and far off we are from the mark). As a remedy we turn to the One who provides redemption, that is Christ Jesus. We truly are only justified by God's gift of grace through Jesus!

Yoked

Matthew 11:28-30 reads: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

I admit that I have not had any real world experience with actual yokes other than seeing pictures and occasionally seeing them in a museum, old barn or maybe Cracker Barrell (by the way, a friend recently told me he heard Cracker Barrell was like eating at a garage sale - funny, but true). Anyway, apparently the yoke links the animals together for the purpose of sharing the load and creating not only a team, but sort of a teaching opportunity when one animal is more experienced or stronger than the other. 


Some places in life where we don't want to be yoked is "under sin" -- "unequally to an unbeliever" -- or even "under the law" (as in legalistic religion). Here's what we should note pertaining to yokes:

Come to Jesus... when we are burdened, when we are need of rest we come to the One who is drawing us near and able to bring relief. Jesus alone gives true easing of the labors and fatigue of sin, legalism and strife. 

Take His yoke... it is easy and light. We often complicate faith because we tend to trust in things (even some "good" things) other than Jesus (the only true good) the source of faith. When we walk in His way we need not second guess our steps. The weight is lifted for He is strong enough to bear any load.


We learn from Him... He is the ultimate servant/leader, gentle and lowly in heart. Such a compassionate One as none other who will guide and teach us all the way. Let us submit to Him alone and throw off the encumbrances of this world.


Our souls find rest in Christ.


Not really sure how this fits with this little blog here, but I really wanted to pass along this quote and hope that it helps us work when, where and for what really matters... From David Platt's book, Radical Together: "Let's show in the church a gospel that saves us from work and saves us to work."

Let's just chew on that fer a spell and live it out.

Forever in Christ!

Which Way Do We Go?

Which way do we go?

I heard a comment made this morning during a "news" interview regarding the trouble our country is in currently. The response led one to understand that the primary cause of our trouble was our lack of confidence as a nation. The respondent said, sure the deficit would bankrupt the economy and surely the high unemployment was a tragedy, but what we needed was more confidence because we still live in the greatest nation on earth. 

While I have no doubt that the United States of America is an amazing nation with tremendous wealth and resources, I do not believe that we can overcome realities with false confidence. I do believe that personally it all comes down to what, or who, we place our confidence in. We have placed our confidence in an economy that has now led to astronomical debt (maybe the debt ceiling is the new space program - lol). We have placed our confidence in jobs that are disappearing like a magician's assistant (I never could figure out how they did those tricks). We are placing our confidence in education for the sake of education without being productive (sometimes I wonder if we have more people employed talking about the unemployed than we actually have gainfully employed). We place our confidence in new candidates for political office or other leadership positions only to be disappointed over and over again (will we ever learn?).

I'm currently in the book of Ezekiel in the Bible where God has the prophet telling of great nations that were once so "high and mighty" that would be coming to ruin because of their disobedience to the Lord. I'm not saying our future as a nation is or is not God's judgment, but I do believe we as people cannot simply place our confidence in the things, or people of this world regardless of God. After all, this world, and this nation are temporal; God is eternal. How foolish and short sighted we are when we place our confidence in anything less than God Almighty. 

The Bible also speaks of not laying up treasures here on earth, but in heaven instead. It is a shame that we spend so much of the wealth and resources of this world on things that have no eternal value. Rather, we should invest in the things of God and eternal lives of people. Next time we make a purchase or investment, let's consider the long term results rather than the short term satisfaction.

May God give us wisdom and confidence in Him alone. Love God above all and love your neighbor as yourself.