The Difference Between Do and Done

For years I lived by the "to do" list. Almost every night before I went to bed, I wrote a 4 X 6 card with the things to be accomplished the next day. Theoretically, I then fell asleep, having cleared my mind of responsibilities by having them written on my card.
However, many nights I lay with open eyes mentally adding things until I got up and added another card or started with a fresh card detailing the new "others" on the list.

Many years ago my Mom told our Bible study that we girls expected too much of ourselves. She told us we went to bed discouraged because we had only crossed 15 items off our 23-item list. Had we not done 15 things? Where did we lose sight of the accomplishments? In her day Monday was wash DAY -- all day. Sorting heralded the start of the process. Clothes went into the wringer washer, then to the extractor, then out on the clothesline (think New York State winters!). When dried, or frozen, the clothes came into the house, went on radiators if thawing was required, and were folded and put away. Since no one then owned the amount of clothing we do now, the wash day completion was imperative. Even with Mom's pep talk, I spent years living by the legalism of the "to do" list.

 At the end of our first year of retirement and my year anniversary of making no "to do" lists, I love the grace of life lived without legalism. This past Sunday Dave and I took a "car hike" after lunch. I asked Dave to stop the Jeep as we crossed a tiny tributary of Bear Creek when the sunlight and water caught my attention. I got out and a branch caught a shaft of sunlight and dazzled in front of my lens. We had just visited a local artist's fused glass studio, bought one of her pieces as a Christmas gift, and enjoyed the beauty and serenity of her yard. Sunday afternoon beckoned us to revel in God's creation -- and no  "to do" list for Monday hung over my head. Such freedom!
Yesterday, after cleaning, dusting and completing the window washing, Dave and I opted for a mid-afternoon DVD after a soak in the hot tub. 

I thought of the parallels between life in the fast lane and retirement pacing  as they compare to one's faith. So many religions relate security of the next life and comfort in this world to performance. Follow such a religion and the "to do" list hangs precariously over my head. Do a prescribed prayer, sacrifice, duty, etc. and I will please the chosen deity. Living by grace in all that Jesus accomplished on my behalf means He accepts me as His child. That doesn't mean license (St. Augustine said, "Love God and do as you please.") but it means living and serving out of gratitude and not obligation. The Gospel offers relationship and not religion. As my pastor said on Sunday, "Legalism says 'do'; the Gospel says 'done.'"

Law of Flesh -- Law of Spirit

Currently, a group of women from Grace Reformed Church is studying Paul's letter to the churches in Galatia. Poised in Galatians 4 and 5, I keep thinking my way through the legalism that so easily trips me up. The Pharisees tried diligently to keep the law in the strictest ways. Yet, when they gave 39 lashes instead of the 40 legally prescribed, they actually acknowledged their inability to keep the law flawlessly. Whenever I consider the law of the flesh, I look at things that aren't hard for me to do. Then I mentally chastise others who can't keep my self-made laws while excusing myself from areas of my failure. No wonder I find no rest in trying to be legalistic. One minute I can soar on clouds of arrogant superiority and then quickly crash in the ashes of inferiority! What a mess I am when huddled in the mire of trying to keep laws. By that I don't just mean the Ten Commandments. People who do not prescribe to that biblical code do verbally or tacitly choose some self-imposed standard; any shred of honesty will quickly testify to the fact that we can't keep our own standards.
If we step aside and look at the law of the spirit we find two facts: it's even harder to keep than jot and tittle record keeping, and it's been accomplished for us with perfection.
The spirit of law literally goes to the heart of the matter. Now, not only do my acts condemn me; but my attitudes and thoughts also confirm my guilt. Don't commit adultery really means don't even look at a woman with lust in the mind and heart. Who could ever keep such a standard? Martin Luther tried physical pain as he crawled step by step on his knees while he prayed. No relief or eased conscience followed these acts of contrition and penance. However, the perfect law keeper entered this world and, in my place, met the requirements of the law. Unbelievably, He chose to impute His perfection to me. No wonder Issac Watts wrote about amazing grace! Consider Paul's words from Galatians 4:4-6. "God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.'" I'll keep processing the truths of grace as Paul lays them out in Galatians, for I have much to learn before I sleep, much to learn before I sleep.

Don't Miss Jesus

Legalism twists our view of Jesus. Whether current news stories like Jaycee Dugard, or the horrible headlines from decades ago when Jim Jones' followers died together, we seriously misrepresent Jesus when we beat people over the head with laws. We often laugh at the arbitrary laws the Pharisees foisted upon first century Jews: A devout Jew could ride a donkey on the Sabbath but could not use a switch to move the animal faster because that would lay a burden on the donkey. One could only walk a certain number of steps on the Sabbath without transforming getting to worship into work, something forbidden for Jews following the law. Even today, some hotels in Israel have "Shabbat" elevators. On the Sabbath these elevators stop at every floor so orthodox Jews do not have to do the work of pushing the button for their desired floor.
Yet are we not as guilty of legalism? With shame, I remember students accosted for wearing no socks or guys forbidden to have any facial hair. The administrators surely could have looked into those individual faces and seen a need for a simple, "Good morning. How are things going?" I too have fallen into a posture that's placed law before grace, and I repent of it.
When I welcomed students into a Christian high school, I used to tell them that we were not an angel factory. Christian students and teachers would disappoint them many times over, whether out of ignorance, fear, control or anger. Jesus' followers don't always represent Him well. Please look to Jesus and model Him. I also warned students that although classes might often start with prayer or singing, and chapel occurred weekly, each student needed a personal encounter with the living Christ. Living on "borrowed light" will translate into personal darkness, a profound disappointment over a relationship that never really existed. I'd tell the incoming freshmen to make sure that in their years at the school they did not miss Jesus.
Whenever our love for God morphs into ways of impressing others or controlling them, we have lost grace, and we cause others to miss Jesus. Don't get me wrong. God is sovereign and will call His own. Scripture tells us that the Gospel will be an offense to some, but as my pastor has said, "Woe to us if we are that offense." If some misguided Christian has spoken venom to you, seemed terribly offensive and ungracious, please lift your eyes to the author and perfecter of our faith. Follow Him and don't miss Jesus.