Recovery part 1
There's an idea in theology that I really like: Being totally consumed by the consuming fire that is God. The bush that burned but wasn't consumed. Love engulfing and consuming everything but itself, until only love remains. And that, friends, is what happened on the cross. The Messianic Rebirth of the world. That's when everything changed, because either the cross changed everything or it didn't change anything. With that in mind, it's frustrating to me that people are still settling for so much less than what is available to them. So let me drop my Scripture for this Rant series and then we'll really get into it. Matthew 11:28-30 in the Message Bible, "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." I love this. Because it's the the other side of the coin of being totally consumed--and that's being burned out. But it doesn't just describe the problem (as if we don't know what the problem is). It also gives the solution. The way to recover our lives. Let me add this to that: 1 John 2:7 (NLT), "Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment--to love one another--is the same message you heard before." Everything "old" is "new" again. The "new" commandment for the New Man is really the Divine Order of things. Always has been, always will be. It is the idea that our "new" nature is really our TRUE nature. Something we've always had, but have lost sight of and forgotten. Guys, we were created in the image and likeness of God. That's so important and so key. But between then and the cross we lost sight of who we are, because we didn't know who God really was. That's why Jesus said, "If you've seen me you've seen the Father." He came to show us. To show us who we are in the context of who God is. To show us what it means to be God's beloved Son in whom He is well pleased. That's why, in our key passage, Jesus is talking about getting away with Him and recovering your life. You are what you eat. The bread and the wine. The living water and the lamb. What you magnify in your life is what will manifest in your life. What you feed is what will grow. So what we're talking about is setting our affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Focusing on Jesus. Looking in the mirror and seeing Jesus. Looking at each other and seeing Jesus. Not continuing to let ourselves be burned out on religion, but being totally consumed by the Holy Ghost wildfire of love! Life is all about love. Because to live is to love and to love is to live. They aren't just connected, they are the same thing. In order to recover your life--by getting away with Jesus--you have to get back to basics. The ultimate truth of the universe that God is love and He loves you. The ultimate truth of the universe that the Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into His hands. When you recover love, you recover life. No love, no life. Know love, know life! It's really that simple. And it's really that simple to experience what God has for us. Simply by walking with Him and working with Him. Letting Him walk with your feet and work in, and through, and as you!