Rules, Regulations, Laws...........And Grace

So, I have been mulling over and pondering a question that was presented to me recently.  The question was:

"If we are going to take the Bible literally, then why are there so many laws in the Bible we no longer obey?  Shouldn't we obey those as well?"

It's a good question.

Sometimes, I hate questions like these, because they make me think......Sometimes, I love questions like these, for the same reason. They make me think.  I have asked this question before myself.  I have even had the answer explained to me.  However, hearing the question again has made me really look closely at what I believe and why I believe it.  And last night, as I lay in bed thinking about it again and pondering, God gave me the same answer given to me before.  Except, this time, I really got it.  It was beautiful.

All those rules, laws, and regulations were given and have been given to us for one reason.  On our own, we are incapable of fulfilling them all perfectly.  Well, at least I know for myself that I am incapable of being perfect in all of them.  For a while, I might be able to be good, do the right thing, follow the letter of the law, and be moral.  But it never lasts, cause I waver, compromise, and grow weak and tired of trying to be perfectly perfect all the time.  I get an attitude.  I break a rule.  I find myself angry and harboring bitterness towards someone.  I give into self-pity.  I whine.  I yell.  I withdraw.  I can't do it on my own.  And that is the point.  I can't do it on my own.  I need something, I need someone greater than myself, greater than my own strength, greater than my own resolve; to do it for me.  To be perfect for me.  To cover me with a perfection I can never achieve on my own.  All those laws were given to us, to show us how much we need a Saviour, we need Jesus.  I have heard some say that Christians just use God as a crutch.  We are weak and that is why we need a god.......But it is not a crutch.  God is not a crutch.  No, it is finally just being really honest with ourselves about who we are and who God is and how much we need Him.  And it is at that point, the point where we realize we need something, someone greater than ourselves; when we turn to Jesus and cry out to Him cause we are finally at the end of our rope.......that grace comes in.

Last night, I had a reawakening of the beauty of God's grace.  He knew I could never follow all those rules, laws, regulations.  He knew I would fail, and fail, and fail again.  He knew I couldn't do it.  By the way, I love that about God.  We always want to try it on our own first.  Like a toddler, we say, "No, myself, I can do it all by myself!"  And God, like the perfectly heavenly Father that He is says, "Sure, go for it."  And He lets us try.  He never forces us to trust Him or to need Him.  He just always makes Himself available when we finally get to that point on our own.  Anyway, God knew I couldn't be perfectly perfect, something I have striven for my whole entire life.  So, instead of demanding perfection out of me, He offered me His grace.  He looked at me torn up, beat up, tired, and weak from trying so hard to be perfect; and He said, "Stop.  Let me cover you with my grace.  Let me cover you with my forgiveness.  Let me cover you with my perfection.  Let me make you perfect, in Me and through Me.  The struggle is over because I have overcome it all......for you."  He is willing to cover me, to make me perfect even though He knows my every imperfection.  He is willing to take me as I am.....sometimes obedient and sometimes still stumbling.......He has me covered.  What sweet relief washed over my last night.  He gave me a picture last night of a Bride.  She was covered from head to toe in a beautiful, white, pure veil.  He had covered her in perfection.  He has covered me in His perfection and I have become perfect in Him because of who He is and what He chose to do for me on the cross.

What beauty, what love, what sacrifice, what grace, He has chosen to pour out to me.  It no longer has to be a struggle to follow perfectly all the rules, all the regulations, all the laws......It is no longer a have to.  Now it is a freedom of living in the very grace and perfection of Christ.  When I entered into Him, I entered into His perfection.  I no longer had to struggle and strive to be perfect enough for Him.  He did that for me, when He covered me with His blood.  I am now free to walk in His ways.  Will I still make mistakes?  Oh my word, yes.  But, I am covered.  Covered, by His grace, His perfection, His love.  I know I have a responsibility still.  I can't take His grace for granted and act however I want cause after all, I am covered.  No.  His grace frees me from my struggle of perfection and invites me to join Him in His perfection.  It invites me to daily listen to His voice and to be led by His Spirit and to walk with Him, not led by have to's and rules, but led by a relationship with Him. I need Him and He has covered me!