Have you seen the new show CBS started airing this year called Living Biblically? It’s focused on Chip, a guy who recently lost a very close friend and who also found out he is going to be a father for the first time.
Chip feels like his life is spinning out of control.
So, he goes to a bookstore. There he comes across a Bible and makes the decision to focus his life on doing everything the Bible says. He is going to live 100% by the Bible. His priest actually laughs at him when Chip tells him this.
Don’t worry. This isn’t where I turn around and ask the question, do you live your life biblically? Or worse, tell you that you better live your life biblically if you want God to be happy with you.
My guess is many of us, both churched and unchurched, have this belief that says God is tracking what we do and don’t do. This paints a picture of God where He starts to look a lot like Santa, keeping that list to see who is naughty or nice.
That doesn’t seem right, does it? And yet, don’t we often see God that way?
What if we see God as a God who loves you? Does He care about what you do? Sure He does. But it is because He wants what is best for you, not so that you please Him or don’t please Him.
“God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life.” (John 3:16, CEB)
God loves you.
If you want, try this. Stand in front of a mirror and tell yourself that today, “God loves you! You matter to God!”
If the show Living Biblically sounds interesting to you, come join us on Sunday mornings through April at one of our services as we explore what that looks like in our lives each day.
Blessings,
Pastor Matt