so, yesterday i admitted to my legalistic tendencies, and that i do have to (with God’s help) keep them in check. it can be hard for me to let go and fully grasp the freedom i have in Jesus, because i don’t want to mess up. honestly, i tend to be more legalistic with myself than anyone else. mostly because it’s harder for me to advocate for myself rather than for others.

it’s a whole lot easier to keep my mouth shut with them. i cannot shut my mind up, all i can do is correct and regulate myself…in love. because, what is it if i am correcting my own legalism through self regulation? it sounds awfully self-defeating to me, because i may wind up being legalistic about my legalism, right? and where’s the peace of Christ in that?

so what really needs to happen is for me to let go, and allow Jesus to hold the reins completely.

in the next verses in mark 2, Jesus does lay out the reason to let go of legalism, and how (my interpretation here)

#1 – cite examples of respectable people in the same situation (david & his men, in this case)

#2 – back your example with Scripture (ex 23:12, /dt 5:14 here)

#3 – bring the context in so that it really can be grasped (show the current situation in light of past example and scripture)

#4 – come to an understanding of the original intent of the rule, or law or practice (what are the basics & why?)

#5 – remember who is ultimately in charge (it’s not you or me)

#6 – ask God for wisdom & discernment (He’s happy to give it)

(is it ironic that i made a list about how to defeat legalism?)

Jesus’ discussion with the pharisees here is helping to free them from rules they had set up on how to regulate peace and rest…which sounds like an insane thing to have created in the first place. God’s original intent was to create “the Sabbath for man, not man for the Sabbath” and we had turned a day of rest from a gift into a curse. sounds typical, doesn’t it?

sticking rules and regulations on how to have peace makes for a lack of peace, because then someone has to be the peace police& enforce the proper use of said peace time. we must learn to let go of ourselves & enjoy God’s rest in measure. (Here’s a page on hammock safety, just to drive the point home.)

the old cliche (old to me at least) of “let go, & let God) really is true. we (myself included) need to quit white knuckling the steering wheel & hop into the back seat…it’s as simple as that.

trust that God’s intentions for us are better than our own…

trust that He really does know what He’s doing…

trust that He really does have a plan that works toward our good…

trust Him more than we trust ourselves…

shut up & let go.

Father, pry my hands off of my life. take it, it’s Yours anyway. please forgive my legalism & grasping for power & control.

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Spirit, have mercy.

amen.