Light Loads

Yesterday I wrote about following the Master’s lead, in my case only writing what He and Father gives me to write.

One of the things that did not make it into the blog was the difference between writing for God and writing with God.  When I start writing something, even if it is a sound idea and God honouring, if it is being done from my own initiative it is hard work.  I may be entirely sure what I want to say.  I may have all the arguments and illustrations sorted in my head.  But somehow when it comes to transferring it to the computer they have to be dragged out and ordered selectively.

By comparison when Father gives me the words there is no struggle; wrong, the struggle is to get my fingers to the right keys in time.  Even when I do lose my place the words stick around for instant recall.  There is rhythm and symmetry to the way that the text is delivered and it is a delight to write in this atmosphere.

Of course though this is a good life, there are issues that must be faced daily and times when I would rather be anywhere apart from sitting at the computer however the offsets make these worthwhile.

As I was thinking about these thoughts yesterday I was reminded of Jesus invitation to “come unto me you heavy laden.”  The Message Bible put this passage from Matthew 11:28-30 like this.

"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."

So very often when we take on responsibilities “for God and for the Church” we leave Jesus behind and forget that He says to “Watch how He does it”.  In this process we become the doer, not Jesus working through us and because we are complicated creatures we “complicate” the work and it becomes “labour”.

Even the work of our hands, or so I have been told, can become improved if we get real about taking the Master to the job with us.  That is not to say that work will become a picnic, it won’t, but just the fact that He is where He promised to be and we are conscious of it will improve some relationships and ease some tensions.  The problem is that we need to be aware that other people may respond negatively, and some job decisions may make us wish we had left Him at home.

On the balance of things we are infinitely more ahead of the crowd with Jesus at our side than without.  Furthermore when we take Him with us He enables us to follow better, to give Him the glory He deserves and He sheds Jesus love to all those we encounter.

Friends Father is the best boss we are ever likely to encounter.  This is because He has loved us and valued us so highly that He makes the tasks light and then shows us how to do a thing – or at least stands ready to do so.  Why do we not “stand down” and allow the Master to show us His “unforced rhythms of grace” as we learn to “live freely and lightly”?

Master this follower wants to take you at your word and prays that many readers of this will choose to do so as well – “let all this come to be” (amen in modern idiom).