Jesus, I want this day to be about you. I must confess, my mind seems everywhere else. I sat down about thirty minutes ago to pray and journal, and am only now beginning. Forgive me for making so much else easier to do than spending time with you. Forgive me for being distracted, or placing other things in influence in my life. Jesus, I want to know you. But I do confess that sometimes, many times, I want knowing you to be easy. Forgive me for desiring what is easy, instead of what is right and true: you. Bring me into your presence today, draw me toward yourself, because I’m afraid if you don’t draw me I just might not get there. Who am I without you? I am nothing, I have nothing, I am desperately in need of you in my life. You are the only good thing, the only true thing, the only right thing, the only pure thing. Though I do not deserve you, please be present in my life today. This is my prayer.
Nehemiah 10:28-39
The rest of the people…join with their kin…and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord and his ordinances and his statues. We will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons; and if the peoples of the land bring in merchandise or any grain on the sabbath day to sell, we will not buy it from them on the sabbath or on a holy day; and we will forego the crops of the seventh year and the exaction of every debt… We obligate ourselves to bring the first fruits of our soil and the first fruits of all fruit of every tree, year by year, to the house of God…we will not neglect the house of our God.
Would it be easier to follow Jesus is we had a set of laws to abide by, a list of “can’s” and “can’ts”? This story is really neat. Nehemiah in chapter 9 leads the entire people in a recount of everything God has done for them since the creation of time, reminding them of how God was with Abraham, how he resuced them from Israel, how he was faithful even when Israel was not, and how he is “ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” and how he never forsook them. After the recount of all that God had done in faithfulness and how the people – their ancestors – had been so completely unfaithful, Nehemiah leads the nation in repentance. This repentance is two-fold: 1) separating from all the other people in the land, and 2) entering into a covenant to live differently, to live according to the Law of God, not according to the cultural influences or even the law of the land.
When the Israelites repented, they had a very calculated behavior pattern they could follow. They knew exactly what to do and what not to do – very specific. When we repent, we choose to “follow Jesus.” What does that even mean? What am I repenting to? It all seems so un-specific. Love my neighbor (Matthew 22:39). Feed, clothe, visit, care for the “least of these” (Matthew 25). Preach that the Kingdom of God is here, heal the sick, raise the dead, drive out demons (Matthew 10:7). But what exactly is life suppose to look like? What if those few specific things seem so unattainable? We are not bound by the “law” because Jesus has given us freedom, but sometimes I wonder if a law would make it easier. I’m sure it would, but it would not make it better. A law eliminates freedom, free will, love, joy, relationship. The catch is that we must figure out how to live specifically without a law. We must learn to live in freedom while living lives that are consistent, disciplined, and set apart.
If we, the people of God, those who follow Jesus, were to separate ourselves from the people of the land, to what would we commit? To what lifestyle would we adhere to that would allow us to live both in freedom and in holiness (meaning “set-apart”)? Without drifting into legalism, which kills the joy of fellowship and freedom, I would attach my life to generosity, sharing, peace-making (reconciliation), and constant love. This is to what I attach to, because of what I see in the Gospel of Jesus. It is not a complete, exhaustive list, but it is a start. The question that must be asked regarding this list is: does this set me apart from the world around me? Because if adhering to what I think Jesus teaches does not set me apart, does not actually make me different from those aroudn whom I am living, then the odds are I have missed something and am probably much closer to living according to the law of the land than the freedom of God.
God, help me to walk in love, humility, transparency, generosity, and honesty.
Teach me to follow your ways without the Law.
Teach me to walk in discipline without legalism.
Teach me to love your Word and your people.
Guide me into freedom.
Amen.