Junk Food Cometh |
| Posted by Mark (mark) on May 26 2008 at 4:19 PM |
I have not been alone in this journey, many friends and acquaintances have been walking it to. I’ve noticed something though, that was really bothering me. It seemed that often, when people begin to see the obligation they’ve been serving, upon throwing it out they throw everything out. Specifically, I have witnessed several people who, under the guise of grace, no longer set aside any time to be alone with God, no time in the word, no time waiting on him and no time for the other ways they draw near to him. They reject any conviction of Holy Spirit and call it all condemnation. This is a direct result of the fact that previously, they spent time with God out of obligation. And so, when they discard obligation, they discard it all. They want to just flow with God in grace.
I can understand this tendency, and even sympathize with it a little; it’s a tough transition from obligation to grace. I also understand that we need to learn to walk with God in all we do, becoming progressively more aware of him all the time. However, none of that precludes the vital role those special intimate times play in our relationship with him. It is in that alone time that we first learn to recognize him, so that we can even begin to see him around us throughout the day, and thus begin to flow with him.
It’s no secret that a relationship which is not invested in, dies. Think about it, if you stopped investing time and energy into your spouse or best friend, what would happen? I’m sure if were no longer intimate with your spouse, the relationship would be wounded severely. Alternately, there is also no question that if relating to God is a burden, an obligation, it will also die. If spending time with God is a rout exercise it is not useful at all; we do need to flow with him in grace. But I think it a tad naive to take the position that grace is opposed to effort in our relationship with him. Pondering all this I found myself concerned for several friends, and wondering how they can come to a place where they’re choosing to spend time with him, apart from obligation.
I decided to spend some time waiting on God about the whole thing; it wasn’t long before he reminded me of my younger brother. Specifically when he first left home and was on his own. He had this new found freedom, and with it, he chose to eat a little differently than at home. You should understand that our mother is a great cook, and always taught us to eat a healthy balanced diet. My brother, with his new freedom immediately began to eat a diet of almost pure junk food. This bothered my folks, but there was nothing they could do, it was his choice now.
A year or two into this new freedom my brother realized he felt terrible, was gaining weight, and his gums were receding like the Red Sea. His health was declining steadily, and so, of his own choice, he began to eat a healthier diet. What did he revert to? It was the training he received as a child from mom and dad. He began eating a more balanced diet, preparing meals at home and he stopped drinking so much Coke. He even asks my mom for recipe’s once in awhile.
I realized that this freedom had ignited growth in him, that would never have happened otherwise. I think perhaps this is part of the process of moving from obligation to grace. Some of the kids, upon finding their freedom, will choose to eat junk food all the time. They will stop investing in their relationship with him. However, they may need this time to grow and learn and begin to separate in their minds, obligation from time with God. Awhile later, when they find their relationship with God distant and cold, they can choose to come back. How will they find their way back? I believe they will, at least in part, revert back to what they know - waiting on him and feeding themselves on the word and whatever else. But this time it will be out of hunger, love and desire to spend time with him, not obligation.
I know that not every child makes these kind of radical dietary changes like my brother did. But some do, and there is no doubt in my mind that all of us need freedom to help mature us. It is so easy for spiritual parents, brothers and sisters to want to control or force what is best for their child or sibling. My brother had to follow the rules of our household growing up because he was born into the family, he had no choice. But in the family of God, we are all there via mutual submission; submitting to God and to each other in love. There shouldn’t be any obligation in our relationships. We can’t control each other. If someone doesn’t want to listen to you, that’s their choice. But maybe its okay to simply point them back to relationship with God, warn them when they move away from it, and let them go if they decide to eat spiritual junk food. You can still be with them, love them and enjoy them. When my brother was in that place, we still saw him and enjoyed relationship with him. His freedom and foolish choices didn’t destroy relationship; but had my parents tried to force him to make better choices, it probably would have.
Perhaps in the end, though it is very difficult, we need to commend each into God’s long arm, and let him bring about maturing in their freedom. It sounds simple, but I know personally, from concern for my own friends, that it is not that easy. Maybe this is what Paul was referring to when he disciplined others by sending them out into the world, into the hands of Satan to teach them a lesson. I don’t know really. In any case, I am now going to be at peace, and commend my friends into his arms, and pray that they find intimate relationship with him, however it looks, sooner than later."
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