Savoring The Easy Yoke of Salvation In Christ
I have this chair in my living room. The chair and its matching couch were given to me by my parents. In fact, all of the furniture in our apartment was given to us by some relative or another. Nothing really matches, it’s a hodge-podge of sorts – kind of like a garage sale. A well organized garage sale, but a garage sale nonetheless.
Anyway, back to this chair. I love to sit in this chair. You can sit in it very comfortably in the normal "seated" position, but that is rarely how I sit in it. You see, the chair is oversized. It has a low back and low arm rests and the cushions are really soft. So the best way for me to sit in this chair is to tuck myself back in one of its corners and then pull my feet up into the chair with me. I can then sling one arm over the back of the chair and nestle one elbow into the cushiony arm, completely ready for any task that is given to me. As long as those tasks include: TV watching, thinking, talking, coffee drinking, ice cream eating, or meditating. It is a low activity chair. Oh, I almost forgot, I can lead our small group Bible study from this chair and lead it very effectively I have found.
I simply love this chair. It is where I can rest and it is where I can relax. In the morning I kneel in front of this chair to pray. Not that I am worshipping the chair- it is just a good place to pray. I enjoy my time with this chair. It is comforting to me. Everything from its design, to its shape, the beach-sand color of it. I simply love that chair.
I once heard a sermon illustration about a chair. It concerned faith. The pastor pulled a chair onto the middle of the platform and said, "I have faith in this chair, that it can hold me up." Then he proceeded to sit in the chair. The point, I think, was that if we say we have faith in Christ we will trust ourselves to Him. We will sit in the "chair" or have faith in the "chair."
I guess the illustration is okay, but it seems a little introductory to me. Not very relational, not very personal. It lacks love, it lacks emotion, it lacks feeling. Not the relationship I have with my chair. I don’t even think about the chair in my living room holding me up. That is a given. I never doubted that chair. It never even gives this slightest squeak that it might not be able to bear the burden of me. I am way past trust in my chair. I am so into the enjoyment of my chair. I simply want to be there as much as possible. And I am in the business of promoting my chair too.
My wife sits there to read. She knows a good thing when she sees it. I like holding my son in this chair. We can read there, enjoy our morning milk there, play there, laugh ourselves to hysterics with zurburts before bedtime. It is just a good place to be and I want as many people to enjoy it as possible.
Just like Jesus. I am way beyond trust and I am really into the enjoyment of Him. I love to feed off of His Word. Not just in the morning, not just at work, but as much as possible. That is, anytime there is an available minute I want to be reading Scripture or thinking about Scripture. Letting my mind dwell on the things of Christ, letting my soul be satisfied with Him and His goodness. And I want you to have this enjoyment too. To be satisfied, to rest and be comforted. To live way beyond trust. Jesus said,
Come sit in my chair. It is what you need, it is the chair you crave. It’s so good, so relaxing, so restful, so peaceful. You will find the satisfaction of your soul there.
I have this chair in my living room. The chair and its matching couch were given to me by my parents. In fact, all of the furniture in our apartment was given to us by some relative or another. Nothing really matches, it’s a hodge-podge of sorts – kind of like a garage sale. A well organized garage sale, but a garage sale nonetheless.
Anyway, back to this chair. I love to sit in this chair. You can sit in it very comfortably in the normal "seated" position, but that is rarely how I sit in it. You see, the chair is oversized. It has a low back and low arm rests and the cushions are really soft. So the best way for me to sit in this chair is to tuck myself back in one of its corners and then pull my feet up into the chair with me. I can then sling one arm over the back of the chair and nestle one elbow into the cushiony arm, completely ready for any task that is given to me. As long as those tasks include: TV watching, thinking, talking, coffee drinking, ice cream eating, or meditating. It is a low activity chair. Oh, I almost forgot, I can lead our small group Bible study from this chair and lead it very effectively I have found.
I simply love this chair. It is where I can rest and it is where I can relax. In the morning I kneel in front of this chair to pray. Not that I am worshipping the chair- it is just a good place to pray. I enjoy my time with this chair. It is comforting to me. Everything from its design, to its shape, the beach-sand color of it. I simply love that chair.
I once heard a sermon illustration about a chair. It concerned faith. The pastor pulled a chair onto the middle of the platform and said, "I have faith in this chair, that it can hold me up." Then he proceeded to sit in the chair. The point, I think, was that if we say we have faith in Christ we will trust ourselves to Him. We will sit in the "chair" or have faith in the "chair."
I guess the illustration is okay, but it seems a little introductory to me. Not very relational, not very personal. It lacks love, it lacks emotion, it lacks feeling. Not the relationship I have with my chair. I don’t even think about the chair in my living room holding me up. That is a given. I never doubted that chair. It never even gives this slightest squeak that it might not be able to bear the burden of me. I am way past trust in my chair. I am so into the enjoyment of my chair. I simply want to be there as much as possible. And I am in the business of promoting my chair too.
My wife sits there to read. She knows a good thing when she sees it. I like holding my son in this chair. We can read there, enjoy our morning milk there, play there, laugh ourselves to hysterics with zurburts before bedtime. It is just a good place to be and I want as many people to enjoy it as possible.
Just like Jesus. I am way beyond trust and I am really into the enjoyment of Him. I love to feed off of His Word. Not just in the morning, not just at work, but as much as possible. That is, anytime there is an available minute I want to be reading Scripture or thinking about Scripture. Letting my mind dwell on the things of Christ, letting my soul be satisfied with Him and His goodness. And I want you to have this enjoyment too. To be satisfied, to rest and be comforted. To live way beyond trust. Jesus said,
I don’t think that Jesus wanted us to use Him like some sort of step or ladder to get into heaven. Not as some financial coach or happiness guru. I think He wanted us to find our rest and our satisfaction in Him. To be relational with Him, to love Him, and know Him, and need Him, seeking after Him with everything that is within us."Come to Me,
all who are weary and heavy-laden,
and I will give you rest.
"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me,
for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.
"For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
Matthew11:28-30 (NASB)
Come sit in my chair. It is what you need, it is the chair you crave. It’s so good, so relaxing, so restful, so peaceful. You will find the satisfaction of your soul there.
Comments