DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?

"O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections." (II Corinthians 6:11-12)

What kept the Believers at Corinth from being all that they could be? Paul's corrections were not intended to restrict them but to help them grow spiritually. They were restricted or hindered by their own fleshly desires, and his admonitions only highlighted them. Their attitudes and actions kept them from being all that God intended. They were the problem. It is like Pogo in the comic strip: "We have met the enemy and he is us." It does not help us grow when we shift the blame – to find a scapegoat for our lack of spiritual maturity like our upbringing, our church, or our culture. Remember Harry Truman's motto: "The buck stops here."

The Bible is not just a bunch of restrictive rules to keep us from enjoying life. God's rules are not meant to make our lives miserable. They are given so that we can enjoy an abundant life and be all that God created us to be. Any boundaries He sets are not to close us in, but to give us greater freedom. If we live in His rules, our life will be better.

Boundaries are important for having an enjoyable life. In our retirement communities, we are governed by CC and Rs. They sometimes seem burdensome, but they are an important part of making our lives more enjoyable. I don't particularly like the rules that seem to be restrictive, but they keep my neighbor from painting his house purple or having junky cars in his driveway. I can grumble about the rules but they really do enhance my life.

In the spiritual realm, God's rules – "do this; don't do that" -- sometimes seem to be restrictions until I realize that they are for my benefit. The problem is not the rules, but my attitude toward them. I can struggle against the rules that seem to restrict my personal desires and affections, but they really do give me freedom when I choose to operate inside of those boundaries.

We do have freedom in Christ – freedom from sin and the consequences of sin. Sin brings us into bondage; Christ frees us from bondage and we walk in that freedom. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed. Praise His Name.

Love, Dad