I was never one to make lists until I semi-retired on a disability. I
could keep things in order in my head, at least to my standards, and very rarely
wrote myself notes. But the past few years I have started making lists of
things to do, and crossing them out as I did them. But I find I don’t make the
list so I remember to do them, but the satisfaction I get from crossing them out
when completed. A sense of accomplishment since my job requirements are gone,
and being a part time pastor, if there is such a thing, my days are consumed
with an abundance of right now, my only planning is for our next trips. But I
watch as many do makes lists of things to do today, and then add more to it as
the week progresses, never completing the tasks on it. But when they do,
checking off the box next to it, then on to the next assignment. Taken in no
particular order, we tend to do the easy ones first, and find that unknowingly
we are bound by that little list we made to see if we are progressing or
regressing. If we are being successful, or not. To see if we can go out riding
after completing the list. We are bound to a list of things to do without even
knowing it.
I send out prayer requests sometimes, I have learned to only burden those
who pray regularly with important items. These prayer lists can be as small as
a Bible study, or go international via emails. But very little follow up is
ever provided via the answers, we just pray on, very rarely hearing how God
answered our list. So we don’t know which ones to check off, but do we still
pray even though we don’t know or haven’t heard? Is you prayer list like
ringing doorbells, ringing and running away before any anyone answers? Or are
you afraid to hear the answer, for fear it may not be what you want and possibly
inconvenience you? Why do we ask if we don’t want to hear the answer?
Having sat in way too many meetings, both at work, in ministry, and at
church, afterwards we all leave with a checklist of things to do. Check them
off as you do them, feel like you served God that week, then show up for another
assignment sheet. Once the job is done, go on to the next, very impersonally
and unloving. Not knowing that good answers raise more questions, and many
prayers take time to be fully answered. We check off the answer, breathe a sigh
of relief, thank God and go on. Forgetting, but God doesn’t, fortunately.
There is a legalism within Christianity, where we make checklists, maybe
written, maybe just in our minds, that hinder our walk with Jesus. I know men
and women who do a daily routine, and wonder why they never grow. Wake up, read
the Bible for 15 minutes, or at least one chapter. Read through it in a year.
Spend 10 minutes in prayer. Study for next weeks study. Go to midweek service
as required. Go to church Sunday, and the list goes on, checking off each one
as they are done. No freedom in doing it, we are trained to obey, but miss the
freedom of the spirit. Like a kid who completes his chore list and says “now I
can do what I want,” too many lead a life like this. I’m done with all my God
things for the day, now I can do what I want. And miss out and miss God. What
I have described is a rote religion, that which Jesus showed was not of him, or
his spirit. Read your Bible for fun, not just for study. Do you read a letter
from a friend to study it, or enjoy it? To digest the contents, to answer. Or
is it, “I’m done reading it, what’s next?” I once fell into the trap of not
reading my Bible enough, or so the voice from the pulpit told me. So I would
read my Bible first, then the same amount of time my magazines. Like a trained
monkey, and never enjoyed either one. What if I wanted to read more Bible? Why
quit at a pre-presribed time? Same with prayer and TV, trying to balance my
secular with my spiritual, and ended up a mess. Then I started reading whatever
whenever, and found I wanted to read the Bible more, because God was urging me,
not some checklist. And now I enjoy both more. Scripture tells us it is not
what goes into a man, but what comes out. Is a 24/7 Jesus on your checklist?
Do you mark him off after doing time with him?
The root word for religion means bound. If Jesus Christ in your life is
one of a list of things to do or requirements, you are religious. Maybe the
best advice is from Solomon, I may question his taste in women, over 1000 wives
and concubines, but he ends Ecclesiastes by telling us to love God and enjoy
life. Do you enjoy your walk? Is the joy missing? Take a break and spend some
time with Jesus today. Blessings means happinesses, and he loves to give them.
There is no reward for forced worship, for love doesn’t demand of itself.
Religion does. Read your Bible as a book of letters from a friend, let the
spirit guide your reading, not the clock. God has no checklist for your life,
and if he did, you wouldn’t listen anyway. Remember the Ten Commandments? Laws
to get along with God and man. We have Jesus. With one commandment,
love.
Finally list your assets, and as long as they are the most important list
you will never fully have all of Jesus. You see lists stand between us and
grace, us and mercy, us and forgiveness. Counting on a list to grow in God just
doesn’t work. It is impersonal, for God knows the heart, which may be revealed
in your list. You may be fed today, but will be hungry again tomorrow. Only
God knows what you need, no list can provide, only show your shortcomings.
You cannot serve God legalistically and spiritually, the law and the spirit are
at odds with one another. You may know Jesus but not experience his fullness
and grace. Checklist Christianity....so easy a caveman can do. Only Santa
needs a list, are you list-ening? There’s always Craigslist.....
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com