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Brothers,
I spent Easter day in Istanbul surrounded by mosques and Muslim families enjoying a sunny day out. As I was walking around the city the call to prayer could be heard everywhere, calling the followers of Muhammad to pray. It is an important ritual, the first thing heard by a Muslim baby, a recited call repeated five times a day that draws followers to the mosque. It took me back to the ritualized Sunday morning call to prayer I was raised with in a western religious service. It to was part of the tradition, something we did every week before the sermon, It was a habit, in some way a performance, as part of the religious charade that existed to show we were not heathens. The proper religious service itself was the focus, not the worship of Christ.
In the past few months I've seen the damage that religion can inflict on whole countries damming generations to follow the rules of the road to hell. The worship of idols, ancestors, false gods and legalistic rule posing all point to bowing down to the created. As an educated western man I can look at those foreign religions and think about how pagan they are compared to what I grew up with in the US. Then, in a moment of clarity, I understand my boyhood religious culture was no different. It relied on outward devotion to my reputation, a devotion to religious norms of the false gods of pride and exclusion.
My Lord Jesus cuts through all the confusion and asks me, "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Matthew 11:28-30) This quickly kills the religion of man and introduces us to the loving God who desires a relationship with us. Our heart turns from the shallow world of what we want others to believe we are to the life changing revolution that compels us to be who he created us to be. No additions, no extra rules, no preferences of man, only the love that has no measure of height nor depth.
Brothers, reject religion and embrace only Jesus.
Peace,
Bill
I spent Easter day in Istanbul surrounded by mosques and Muslim families enjoying a sunny day out. As I was walking around the city the call to prayer could be heard everywhere, calling the followers of Muhammad to pray. It is an important ritual, the first thing heard by a Muslim baby, a recited call repeated five times a day that draws followers to the mosque. It took me back to the ritualized Sunday morning call to prayer I was raised with in a western religious service. It to was part of the tradition, something we did every week before the sermon, It was a habit, in some way a performance, as part of the religious charade that existed to show we were not heathens. The proper religious service itself was the focus, not the worship of Christ.
In the past few months I've seen the damage that religion can inflict on whole countries damming generations to follow the rules of the road to hell. The worship of idols, ancestors, false gods and legalistic rule posing all point to bowing down to the created. As an educated western man I can look at those foreign religions and think about how pagan they are compared to what I grew up with in the US. Then, in a moment of clarity, I understand my boyhood religious culture was no different. It relied on outward devotion to my reputation, a devotion to religious norms of the false gods of pride and exclusion.
My Lord Jesus cuts through all the confusion and asks me, "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Matthew 11:28-30) This quickly kills the religion of man and introduces us to the loving God who desires a relationship with us. Our heart turns from the shallow world of what we want others to believe we are to the life changing revolution that compels us to be who he created us to be. No additions, no extra rules, no preferences of man, only the love that has no measure of height nor depth.
Brothers, reject religion and embrace only Jesus.
Peace,
Bill
