In this post I want to talk about my feelings regarding How I Am to Live My Life as a Christian. Personally I believe the New Testment is kind of long winded as Jesus' teachings can be summed up into a couple of sentences:
And He said to him, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND." This is the great and foremost commanment. The second is like it, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." On these two commanments depen the whole Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 22:37-40
Our calling to this faith isn't a calling to pick up a new burden of laws, and rights or wrongs. But a calling to live in love with those around us. To do for and to others how we ourselves would love ourselves. It seems so tough to lay down our own wants and needs so that we can reach out and give to others what they need - but it is freeing when we know and feel the same love in return. It is in a sense - Karma and in modern day tongue "What goes around comes around"
Be joyful, Be free and Be In Love with the world around you. That, I believe, is what God wants from us. Think about it, in love we are given strength to achieve and do things that we wouldn't do without it. In love, we can forgive ourselves and others for trespasses (I like that word better than sins). In love, we would walk to the ends of the world to do something for someone else. God doesn't want us to reserve that 'love' for our spouses and children, but to have that same love for Him and all the people around us (far and wide).
Jesus did not set an example of a sad matyr - but as a man who enjoyed parties, crowds and dinner with friends. He had a lot of friends. He knew what he was called to do, yet he celebrated life as he lived it. He didn't want people to be sad and under the burden of un-meetable standards. Be joyful!!
I will be honest, this is really hard for me right now. I am fighting through a bout of depression and some other situational type things that make it hard for me to find and act joyful in my life right now. And, that is alright too, because there are times we are called to the wilderness to grow and change. But, I can find joy in my life even when crawling out of bed is difficult. I can find joy in gratitude and thankfulness. And when I can find a small glimmer of joy I can try and carry that with me through the day to hopefully grow and multiply.
It's difficult and at the same time not so difficult. And sometimes it seems like it would be a whole lot easier to follow a list of written rules with shoulds and shouldnt's. But then we wouldn't be free.
Peace,
Amy
1 comment:
I think what you write about is a superb way of describing the "peace that surpassing all undrestanding". Even during your hard times you can see the light.
This is a wonderful post Amy, it's extremely well written! You'll help a lot of people with it, you've helped me.
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