How are you doing on your fast? I hope God is being glorified in it. You know, Christians do lots of little silly things sometimes to remind ourselves of who we are and who's we are.
But on this day I'm reminded that Jesus doesn't want us to just gift up sugars. He wants us to give up ourselves.
A friend of mine recounted a conversation he had. Vague enough? Point being I wasn't involved... but my friend said that in this conversation he was discussing the wonderful scripture of give unto Caesar what is Caesars. It's Matthew 22:21 by the way and in it's context is simply a statement meant to avoid the snares of those who are trying to trap him (irony!!). But in the middle of this conversation my friend's conversant said,
"Well, 10% is enough for Jesus, it should be enough for the government."
Frankly, I could care less what % of my income the government asks for. But I'm pretty sure I know what % Jesus asks for. Christians throughout history have been trying to figure out what is "enough" to give to God. That attitude has left generations of people relegating God from a God of abundant love to a God of "just enough" both in giving and receiving.
Jesus didn't give "just enough" and we aren't expected to do that either. With the government, you give what is asked because if you don't, you'll get thrown in jail.
Is that how people see our God? One who will throw you in jail if you don't give what is asked? This is nonsense. It is nonsense not because God can't "throw us in jail" but because to come at the Gospel from this vantage point is to cheapen God's love into some kind of law.
I hope that your Lent becomes not just a small way that you actually start eating healthy (more power to you if that helps though) but instead a small step towards giving God even more of yourself.
Jesus doesn't want 10% - he wants all of you. And if you can give him your all, he will come to dwell within you and this world will know of the abundant love of God.
But on this day I'm reminded that Jesus doesn't want us to just gift up sugars. He wants us to give up ourselves.
A friend of mine recounted a conversation he had. Vague enough? Point being I wasn't involved... but my friend said that in this conversation he was discussing the wonderful scripture of give unto Caesar what is Caesars. It's Matthew 22:21 by the way and in it's context is simply a statement meant to avoid the snares of those who are trying to trap him (irony!!). But in the middle of this conversation my friend's conversant said,
"Well, 10% is enough for Jesus, it should be enough for the government."
Frankly, I could care less what % of my income the government asks for. But I'm pretty sure I know what % Jesus asks for. Christians throughout history have been trying to figure out what is "enough" to give to God. That attitude has left generations of people relegating God from a God of abundant love to a God of "just enough" both in giving and receiving.
Jesus didn't give "just enough" and we aren't expected to do that either. With the government, you give what is asked because if you don't, you'll get thrown in jail.
Is that how people see our God? One who will throw you in jail if you don't give what is asked? This is nonsense. It is nonsense not because God can't "throw us in jail" but because to come at the Gospel from this vantage point is to cheapen God's love into some kind of law.
I hope that your Lent becomes not just a small way that you actually start eating healthy (more power to you if that helps though) but instead a small step towards giving God even more of yourself.
Jesus doesn't want 10% - he wants all of you. And if you can give him your all, he will come to dwell within you and this world will know of the abundant love of God.
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