How many times in recent history have you thought, “I just need a break”. You’d love it if you looked at your planner and it truly was a little quieter. And I don’t mean just ignoring the things you’re supposed to be doing. Nothing to do! Yeah!
Well, what if I told you that the hardest job you’ll probably ever have is to do nothing. . . .
What do I mean? Well, like all theological statements, this one has to be understood carefully. If you’ve spent much time in a Lutheran church, you’ve probably thought about this a little, but in reading Martin Luther’s Theology by Bayer I continue to be pushed. Luther is quoted, “The righteousness of faith is passive, in that we allow God alone to work in us and we ourselves, with all our powers, do not do anything.”
Now I know that we all crave some time to relax and do nothing, but the reality is that we can’t take it for long. There’s a drive in us to do and to control. That’s not necessarily bad, at least not when turned towards God’s purposes. The problem is that in our relationship with God we can’t work our way into a relationship with him. In fact, the harder people try to prove themselves to God, oftentimes, the farther away they find themselves from him. Or the more they try to control their lives, the more they push God away. Have you ever found that to be true? The more control you tried to exert, the less connected you were?
Now, like I said, all this has to be taken in a balance. When we’re in relationship with God, we do the stuff I mentioned last week- prayer, meditation, working through experiences. And God gives us work to do in our life. And somtimes the good works he prepares for us to do are hard. But the key is that whenever we’re thinking about our relationship with God, we accept that he is the one in control. He is the one who comes to us. He is the one who sets the tone Bayer says that the whole of theology could basically be summed up by saying it’s about understanding the God who justifies men that have been accused. It’s all about God.
As Bayer says, God is scary if we try to force are way to him. If we’re trying to work our way to him, control him, whatever, then he is merely the judge. But when we let him come to us. When we accept that we’re not in control, but he is, then he is the one who comes and acquits us, frees us, forgives us.
Now most of us will accept this in the abstract, but make it concrete. Where have you been trying to grab control from God in your relationship with him? Are there roadblocks that you’re throwing up? You know you’re accused, but are you willing to let God acquit you? Or are there sins you still don’t want to let go, areas of life you still want to control.
It sounds easy- just let God and let go, but when the rubber hits the road, this can be the hardest thing to do.
