Day 140: Religion IS a Burden

Romans 11:1-24; 1 Samuel 20; Psalm 65  

This passage that Paul references from David, shows what "religion" is:  they "stumble" and he says to "Blindfold their eyes!" and "Bend their backs beneath a burden that will never be lifted." That's religion.  That has nothing to do with living for Jesus.  If you think about all the world's religions, including the American version of being a "Christian," it is all about living up to certain standards or appearing a certain way.  Religion IS a burden, it DOES cause people to stumble, it WILL blind people to the truth.  It's just as dangerous today as it was in Paul's time.  Christ offers something that no other "religion" does:  grace through relationship.  Following Jesus isn't one sided, it isn't about doing things, appeasing him, or rituals.  Following Jesus is about living like him by learning from him.  It's freedom. There is not a heavy burden to carry, God doesn't want us to follow blindly, and he will lift us when we stumble.  That sounds way better to me.

If people reject God, he will be hard on them and cut them out of his "tree." But, if a person has faith, then they become a part of the "tree." This is another thing that "religion" does not agree with.  It's not so simple with religion; a person has to earn their way back, and it isn't for everyone.  I tell you what, Christ's salvation IS for everyone.  When we start believing that certain people can't be saved, then we forfeit people's souls, despite having The Lord of the universe on our team.  Not wise, not wise at all.

At this point, Saul is no longer following The Lord.  He cannot control his anger against David, to the point that he tries to manipulate and kill his own son through it.  Saul's fear and insecurity had taken over his life. He allowed sin to creep in and at this point it consumed him.

The loyalty between Jonathan and David must have been significant at the time this was written.  I'm sure it was expected, beyond reason and common sense, that a son should obey a father.  God reveals here that people should be obedient and faithful, not because of someone's rank or position, but because of their heart and their life.  Jonathan, by no means, tries to get back at his father (he still honors him with his actions and life), but he knows that his father does not deserve loyalty like David.  That could be really hard--to have to turn from a family member because they are so deep in sin that you can no longer help them without (as Jonathan experienced) putting yourself in danger.  That is a sad reality for a lot of people, even today.  But, God wants us to protect ourselves by being wise, and if that means stepping back, even from a loved one while they struggle with sin, then I think God would approve.  However, there are also moments when we are to step in and help, as Jonathan does for Saul.  We just need to be wise in how we handle our loved ones so that we do not get manipulated or abused.

This psalm talks a lot about nature and God blessing the earth and caring for it.  God wants things to grow--us and the world around us.  Rain sometimes represents sadness, but isn't it the rain that "soften[s] the soil and help[s] the plants sprout"? The rain is not always pleasant, but it is through those times that we are prepared for prosperity and goodness.  Hang in there.  If you are in a rainy season, know that God is good and he is helping you to grow.