grace and worship.

My roommates and I started reading through the book of Mark this semester.  This week was chapter 2, and I found myself really encouraged by what I found there.

First, (vs. 18-22) the Pharisees are bothered by the fact that Jesus and his disciples do not fast.  To their question Jesus is quick to reply that the disciples are with the bridegroom now, experiencing and rejoicing in the presence of God as they spend time with Jesus, and therefore have no need for fasting until he is gone.

Next, (vs. 23-28) the disciples are seen plucking heads of grain in the grain fields on the Sabbath.  Again, the Pharisees cannot understand why it would be okay for these men to violate the Sabbath merely because they are hungry.  And again, Jesus points them to the truth-- "the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."

In each of these instances I see really beautiful truths.  The Pharisees have come to trust in the Law, using it as the lens by which they see everything.  However, in doing so they have completely lost sight of the purpose of both fasting and the Sabbath.  According to Christ, fasting is for seeking the presence of God; for focusing one's full heart and attention on Him.  But they have turned it into a badge of honor, automatically judging those who don't participate.  And not only that, but they are missing out on the personal and tangible presence of Jesus Christ right in front of them.  Similarly, the Sabbath is meant to be God's gift to man; a time of spiritual and physical refreshment.  Therefore, it ought not confine every action a man takes on that day, but rather to be blessed by quiet, restful time with the Lord.

Ultimately, Christ intends to show these religious people that he is Lord over all, even the Law.  And with him comes something completely new, something that cannot be combined with the old (vs. 21-22).  We cannot receive full atonement in the death of Christ and still believe that there is some level of righteousness we can achieve by our own efforts.  Therefore we see Jesus pointing to the grace that exists in him in each situation, setting us free to worship him with transformed hearts swelling with gratitude for what he has done.

When we get caught up in the "rules and duties", we lose out on the entire heart behind what God asks of us.  The truth is, he has made us for worship and delight in Him.  The things he calls us to are for our greatest good and His own glory.  And if we know Him, sin has no power over us.  So why do we allow just about anything (even "religious" things) to get in the way of humbly and passionately seeking the Lord in His Word and in prayer?

My prayer is that I would continue to be transformed by God in such a way that my heart would long for more of Him and the result would be a life of worship.