LESSONS FROM REMBRANDT

Many of us feel as though we just need to live with guilt.  After all, it is our place and our state of being, right? In Romans 3:23, the Bible says "all have sinned and fallen short."  Though God never intended for us to live within this emotional and spiritual state, it has been the leverage of most churches to manipulate people into thinking that this is how God gets us to understand how bad we are and how much we need his forgiveness. But think about it: if guilt was God's way of getting us to follow him, our decision to return is actually no different than the reason for leaving in the first place.  If we are only in this to relieve pain or seek pleasure, then guilt is a horrible motivator. It is only after we "come to our senses" (become convicted) and understand that the Father's way of living is the only way, that we discover wholeness and fulfillment. God uses conviction, not guilt, to bring us to repentance and a loving relationship.

The Bible says that perfect love casts out all fear, yet we have therapists, self help books, relaxation techniques, and even personal rituals all to help us live with the fears that sometimes seem to paralyze us. God never wanted us to live in fear; that is why he used so many analogies of himself as being the Way, the Light, and the Good Shepherd.  All of these were to calm our feelings about the unknown future and to let him go before us to provide the peace of knowing he's still in control.   So how do we allow him to do that?  What will it take for us to let him provide that perfect love?