Being Thankful!

While William was in his ‘office’ doing school work last night, I was lying in bed reading.  I don’t get to do that often enough.  I used to read every night for hours – I’ve always enjoyed reading.  I usually have 3-4 (or more) books going at any given time.  I still do; however, it takes me months to read them anymore!  Anyway, I was in the library last week trying to find a book to ‘relax’ with – something that’s not really of substance, something I don’t have to think too much with, and came across a new series by Thomas Kinkade and Katherine Spencer called “The Inn at Angel Island”.   First off, I didn’t know Thomas Kinkade (the artist) was also an author.  Anyway, last night I was about half way through it and came across a line (the main character is an artist who gave up her dream and went into advertising):  “It was hard to look at sketches like these, made at a time in her life when she was young and hopeful, fully believing that if she worked hard, her talent would prevail and she would succeed. … What was the use of even thinking about any of this anymore?  Mulling this stuff over made no difference now.  But wouldn’t it be great to get up every day and know that all you had to do was draw or paint to make a living?”   

Wow, that made me really stop and be thankful that I have such a wonderful opportunity – something that who knows how many dream about – to get up every day just to draw and paint!   I’m not even that good!  Sure, I’ve sold a few things, and if I spent more time working it, I would be better, but never great.  But the point:  to do something I enjoy doing, and (attempt anyway) make a living at it!  Now, as I think back, I’ve gotten to follow several of my ‘dreams’ and basically, took it for granted.  Yes, I’ve always been thankful, but in reality, didn’t appreciate the gifts I really had – that of getting to be a professional musician (performing all over Europe and in a few states in the US), pursuing music for several years, being a professional writer for several years (getting into multiple publications and publishing 2 books), getting to be a teacher (for a great many years, of many different things), then dabbling in art as a kid, but getting to pursue it in my 40’s, getting to have a studio for a year in 2010 and now, having my own art gallery and studio!  Wow, talk about being big-time blessed!  How many people dread going to work every day, year-after-year, hating their life, lamenting year-after-year over what dreams they have lost.  Wow, how can I ever dare to complain about anything ever again! 

We started off the day getting to do something we rarely get to anymore – sleep in!!  Awesome.  We started the day with a great conversation about the law.  We both may have gotten to take a day off from ‘work’ as such, but we both are now glued to our respective computers, working away at various ‘catch-up’ things.  Great, relaxing day anyway.

So the discussion about ‘the law’ in biblical terms came about because of a question posed by the instructor in William’s online class.  We discussed it quite a bit, then he went in to respond to the question: 

"12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which He will bring about at the proper time -He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen."  (1Tim. 6:12 & ff)

What areas do you see God calling us to be more "ethical" the  letter of the law?

William’s response  was quite good:

I like your question, but don’t agree with the scripture you used.  I believe that the use of this scripture is taken out of context.  The word commandment used in this verse is referring to the commandment Paul gave in the former verses (see vs 1-11).  Paul knew better then to tell people they must follow the law.  If Paul was to refer to any law that Christ gave, it would be, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another”(John 13:34-35 ASV).  Jesus spoke this four times in the Gospel of John BEFORE his arrest at Gethsemane.  God’s people were never called to hold to the law; but rather, to love God to the utmost.  “And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?  He said to him, What is written in the Law? How do you read it? And he answered, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.  And he said to him, You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live" (Luke 10:25-28 ESV).  

Again, we are called to love God entirely with all are being.  And even this is only made possible by God through the Spirit dwelling within us. “Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.  For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.  But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-- the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.  It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.  Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded.  By what kind of law?  By a law of works?  No, but by the law of faith.  For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law” (Rom 3:19-28 ESV).  

In Revelation, God is talking to the church. Here, He says for them to get back to their first love - Him.  Even after He commends them on their works He says,  ”but I have this against you.”  To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: “These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks: I know thy works, and thy toil and patience, and that thou canst not bear evil men, and didst try them that call themselves apostles, and they are not, and didst find them false; and thou hast patience and didst bear for my name's sake, and hast not grown weary.  But I have this against thee, that thou didst leave thy first love. Remember therefore whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I come to thee, and will move thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent.   But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God” (Rev 2:1-7 ASV).

 So, it isn’t about any works, but to love God in all our efforts.  If I was to answer your question, “What areas do you see God calling us to be more "ethical" in the letter of the law?”  It would have to be:  “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depends  all the Law and the Prophets”  (Mat 22:36-40 ESV).

So my answer would be, God is not calling me to be more ethical by the law.  But to love Him, and my neighbor will all my mind, soul and strength.  Then I wouldn’t think of lying or cheating or anything else God wouldn’t approve of.  By His Holy Spirit in my heart, (The Holy of Holies) His throne room, I will be able to carry all that He asks of me.