Chains of our own choosing.

Chains of our own choosing.

It is a challenge we hear echoed in Proverbs:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, 

and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him, 

and he will make straight your paths. 

Be not wise in your own eyes;

fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones."

The 21st Century Western Christian living in comfort and abundance might well read the passages and glaze over - what's this to do with me? We have everything under control? Others may read this and hear it promising an easy life if only we asked enough and pray enough.
We might in fact push back a bit at the thought of not being smart enough or able enough. Many of us value our "independence" - so what is this call to radical dependence about?  Too many of us feel a twinge of resentment at the thought of subjugation, obedience, surrender and submission. How do we, as modern individuals accept these notions so contrary to our consumerist capitalist individualist context?

The length and breadth of the Bible envisions God's perpetual grace in sustaining us - is many ways the Bible is challenging us to live our declarations - to actively live as God commissions us to live - to actually live in trust and obedience to God. It is pretty obvious that we are not doing well, we are not excelling in this radical challenge. So today we ask what does that failure say about us, our faith and our belief in God's faithfulness?

It is pretty clear most of us are bound to things that are not of our God. Our chains are fashioned of careers, possessions, reputations, abilities, wants and desires - but they are chains none-the-less. We pray "give us this day our daily bread" while we hold "our" stuff in reserve just in case "our" God doesn't, won't or can't deliver on His promises. Scripture challenges us to return all that is God's to God and to trust Him. This challenge reveals to us the chains we have chosen over freedom in our Christ.

Lent is a time to contemplate the wonder of God and it is a time of self reflection in the presence of our God. We find a harsh reflection of ourselves in the challenge to actually live as Christians.

Leviticus tells us that all we have in reality is God's - we are mere vapours that drift upon the land - yet when the owner asks for what is His we rebel. Leviticus shows us then that we are not bound in chains, rather we bind ourselves in the chains of our own choosing.

Jesus asks us: will you leave everything, come and follow Me? Is it yes or is it no?