Games We Play – Twister 3
When Jesus stood in the midst of the crowd and at times actually weeps over the city of Jerusalem because of the burdens they were carrying. He walked into a world that was burdened with life and then the religions just spin more arrows that lead to us falling down. Imagine how it was as he began to challenge the leaders and show people a different way to find peace with God. They were mad, and he was burdened for the ones who could not find the way on their own path or the path of religious twister.
He stood in the midst of the crowd one day and said these words. “Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. The teaching that I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NCV) Slowly read those words over and over again.
He understood the burden they carried. He watched them twist and try to make sense of a game they could not win and it hurt his heart and soul. He wants us to bring our tired and burdened souls to Him. Not to a religious person, but to just him. He does not shrink from our burdens or our weariness, He welcomes it. Does not sound like religion to me. He proclaims that He does not look to add to our burden, but to lighten it and help us in and through this life we are living.
Now, do not get me wrong. Jesus does ask us to pick up a weight, but it is a weight that we can carry. He does not look for a way to twist us up, or leave us twisting in the wind trying to know if we are doing okay. He does not promise any burden, just one that we can handle. He says it is light to carry. I do not know about you but I have tried to move some stuff by myself before. That couch did not look that heavy when I went to slide it. It got really lighter when I asked for help. And that is the “burden” he asks us to pick up. Dependence on him is the burden he places on us. Not a burden to carry him, but a burden to receive His guidance and help as we live our lives.
Another time, when he was in his home town Jesus pulled out the Torah and read the following words. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” Luke 4:18–19 (NLT)
It is all good news that He delivers. He repeats the words of a prophet and then looks at the crowd and says “Today this is fulfilled before your eyes.” You know he drops the scroll and walks off. He lets them know that things are going to be new and different than they have experienced so far in their lives. He came to end the guessing and twisting to try to win the religion game.
Jesus proclaimed that captives would no long be held captive by religion.
Jesus proclaimed that those blinded by religion would receive the sight that a loving God has for them.
Jesus proclaimed that those who are oppressed will be lifted up to stand.
Jesus proclaimed that God’s favor would be seen in the world.
The problem is that we let religion spin the wheel and we are all twisted up trying to get free, see, stand on our own and find God’s favor. We need to remember that Jesus offered those things in a relationship he offers to each of us today. Will you quit spinning and just take Jesus at his word? Will you just trust him to take care of you? He is waiting for to step off the Twister board and follow his lead to a life that is not twisted, but blessed.