"give me a 'break'"

Hebrews 3 tells us to hold 'fast' and again to hold 'firm' our confidence and/or relationship with Christ to the end. Yet sometimes we 'feel' we are being or have been so good/spiritual - working so hard on our growth or ministry or so involved with our church or study - that we need a break...just some down time, some time to relax, to not think, to just hang out, to forget everything just for a time, etc. Whatever!

Again we are in the midst of the throws of a dilemna where each 'side' sounds right and the arguments can go on and on and each 'sounds' so right. What then are we to think? How do we live? Do we chunk it all because it is confusing? NO! it is right here that our enemy is active and alive and seeking whom he can devour. We must press on and see truth.

We must press on and persevere and hold fast. We do not need a break. We do not need a vacation from our faith. ' We can no more have a break from spirituality and remain spiritual than we can have a break from morality and remain moral.' The problem - as always - lies with the big 'I.' We are making it something that God never intended - a responsibility that He never intended for us to bear. He is far more gentle and patient than we can ever imagine. Yes, the standard is high - perfect - but the burden is light (Matt. 11:28-30). Who can resist these verses -"Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you , and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." How can this be? What ever does it mean? I sure don't experience this!

Again - the problem is always with me and what I want or think I need or deserve or the way I think God wants me to be or act or grow.... something is wrong - and it is in my thinking. God is a totally loving and patient and kind and good Father. Why do I put pressures on myself when He does not. If the yoke is hard, it is because it is my yoke. It is 'me' either trying to earn His love - which is already mine - by being 'great.' Or, there is something I am desparately trying to hanging on to - and I am trying to serve two masters (Matt. 6:19- 24) - me and what I want or me and what I think I should be.
Relax!! All of life is His - all of life can be spiritual. I don't have to get into a 'spiritual mode. It just is.

So - how can a yoke be easy and how can a burden be light? When it is His and not mine and He carries it - not me. I am totally dependant - for joy, for peace, for fulfillment, etc. and herein is peace and freedom and power.

whose body on the cross

The Resurrection - as fabulous, essential, all powerful, etc. etc. as it is - does not erase the Cross and its horror and suffering and cost. Although Christ DID take the sting of sin and death, bore our sins and pain, we must follow Him to/through the agony of the Cross. (definitely in a much lesser way - and for many reasons - we do not have to give up who we are and take on humanity, we will not be separated from our Father, etc. - here was the real cost!)

Songs like 'All to Jesus I surrender,' 'The Old Rugged Cross,' 'I am crucified with Christ, yet now I no longer live' are hard, hard meanings, but one who is 'in Christ' will come to this spot and it is not easy, actually it is impossible to proceed to freedom and power in Chirst without the Holy Spirit doing it ALL- here is where these principles and verses like Romans 2:20 and Romans 6 lend their fulness.

Christ did indeed say that we would 'taste the cup of which He drank.' So, those of us who talk about being 'in Christ' and 'crucified with Christ' need to realize the depth of that statement. We must indeed follow Him there. But the GOOD NEWS is that He walked there Himself and goes with / carries us there. By His humanity He experienced it all! Think of all He surrendered - (Phil. 2:1 -11.)

So - 'whose body on the cross?' And how do we 'taste the cup?' I must decide that 'sin must die in me' - not be surpressed - but a moral decision to offer ones' self up and to reckon (count as true!!) Romans 6:11 ( and the whole chapter) as 'mine' and truth. When our enemy roars around and wants to challenge - "I am dead to that" I do not HAVE to yield - to sin. I simply may 'choose' to sin, but no excuses, I do not HAVE to. This is a radial issue of my will.

We say -'I'll never be perfect until I get to heaven.' True - but this cannot be an excuse to continue on in sin. We must yield our wills and crucify them and allow the power of the same Holy Spirit that Jesus lived by abide and live in us. As we identify with Christ's death, we identify with His life. And that is a life of freedom and power and peace and one that glorifies God because it all depends on Him!!

This is a deal!! His life for ours.
The Resurrection life is possible in us. It is a daily thing - a daily dependance on the Holy Spirit - God has put the power of the Holy Spirit in us.

Romans 7 and 8 follow Romans 6. So when we fail, that doesn't mean that it doesn' work - it just means that we 'pull up short - confess our sin and move on.'

we can't - but He can!!