Yesterday in the comment section of someone's blog who is always more than happy to point to everyone else's faults (all too human a trait that I confess I succumb to much too often) I was accused of being lazy and thereby letting my laziness dictate my behaviour of a pseudo-religious tactic of hiding behind my husband...if she truly knew me she would see how ridiculous that accusation is, in so many ways, lol, but it had me thinking and praying on the topic, and it makes me wonder how much is too much and how little is too little, because we can always do more, in fact works based religions work their parishioners to death with zero benefit to their salvation. It also brought to mind the sheep and goats parable, the goats reminding Jesus of all the good things they did in His name and Him having to sadly say to them "Depart from me you workers of iniquity, I never knew you", because it isn't our works that saves us, it is His grace and our humility in the understanding of the huge chasm between the two.
In pondering the accusation of my quasi-pseudo-religious laziness/hiding under a bushel by "hiding behind my husband" I considered Sarai who went along with Abram's silly notion of hiding the fact that they were married and didn't rebuke him for it. She trusted God, she had to have, because if I was in that situation I would have had some very choice words for my dear hubby, God bless his patient soul for putting up with the likes of me! But God did turn it all out for good (as we are told that the Lord does so in Romans 8:28, a blessed Bible promise indeed!)...and yet we are told of Abram/Abraham's faith as being the example we are to follow!!! Really? But he messed up so badly! Yes, but his faith in God had nothing to do with his human lack of sound judgment! Praise God!
In sharing the "good news" (gospel) do we? Do we share the good news? Or do we continually dwell on the bad news and think it our "godly duty" to bash everyone over the head continually about it? And how much bashing is enough to say one isn't lazy about bashing everyone over the head about the bad behaviours and false teachers out there?
Thank you Jesus that you are sufficient and all of our striving adds nothing to what You have done for us.
Very thought-provoking post! Clearly we are not saved by our works, but rather saved to good works, for we are His worksmanship. On the one hand, He loves us infinitely no matter how much or how little we do; on the other hand, we are told to keep on doing and not get weary in doing good, for He will reward us in due time. Praise God that He will give wisdom to His children if we ask for it, and that He does work all things together for good.
ReplyDeleteGod bless,
Laurie
If we work continually but are not truly moved by the Spirit of God’s mercy and agape love to redeem His people, we scatter to the wind. Someone shared a story of a woman that purchased an NIV study Bible because she caught the desire to study the Bible. Immediately churchy people descended upon her to let her know what a terrible translation the NIV is. She returned that Bibleand never again showed any interest in it. Sometimes in our zeal we can drive people away from love of the Truth. Instead of encouraging her and trusting the Lord to lead her, these people worked hard and as a result did damage rather than good. ☹️
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