Too many chairs

"Where are all the people?  Have we really had a bunch of people who didn't show up?" 

It was an amazing wedding and reception, but for a moment at the beginning of the reception, I looked around and was a little sad and disappointed for my daughter and our family a while.  

"Why did people not come?  Why did so many not come to the reception?"

At some point, a few minutes in, my wife observed in passing that the chair rental place had set up way too many chairs.  

We'd asked for six places max, per table, following a carefully planned seating chart and they'd set up eight or more, making it look like a lot of people didn't show up - at least to me.  And only for a little while.

It is interesting how details can change how we see situations.  Just a few extra chairs and I thought we'd had people who'd abandoned us after the wedding.

After my wife's comments, my mind went back to standing in front of the audience while reading the couple's vows aloud and thinking how cool it was that we had so many people and that there were so few chairs empty.

Just a few moments later, I'd changed my thinking and it only took a passing comment to set things right again and correct my mistaken interpretation.

______________

"I'll never be able to do enough to earn a place in heaven.  I hope I can just squeak by and get in.  I'll take a job as a janitor in a little corner."

"You know, I'm just living my best everyday and know that's the way to make sure I make God pleased and happy so he'll let me in after this life is over."

"You know that skipping class on Sunday isn't the ticket to Heaven, don't you?!  You need to keep growing so you're not sliding backward."

"We need to lean into God's grace and mercy.  As long as we're trying our best, he gives us his grace to make up the difference where we fall short."

_______________

These and other statements like that are things I've heard most all my life.  

And they're all off base.  

Each of them are an extra chair placed at the table that was never intended to be there.

They all contain a little motivating jab colored with fear, guilt, or shame and they're all false.

Each one of them and the many variations of them say that we earn our way to Heaven.

Each one assumes that getting to Heaven after this life is THE main point of a relationship with God.

They're all well intentioned and motivated by the desire to keep people on track.

But that track isn't the track we're called to ultimately.

________________

Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me..."

Later, when asked "What do we need to do in order to do what God requires?" Jesus said, "The work of God is this: believe in the one he has sent".

A lot of people work themselves into a frenzy, or nearly to death, or even to the point of apathy and walking away - people work at getting what God has already offered freely.

As I have heard many times and you probably have too, God isn't against people exerting effort and working hard, but he is against the thought or the idea that you're earning something from him.  

Or that you're keeping or maintaining your relationship with him because of your behavior.

_________________

I'm amazed at how quickly I can forget that.

I can know plainly that I am saved by grace and that the life that was lost in the garden of Eden through Adam and Eve's choice has been restored and that it is 100% a free gift.

And then I'll remember something I heard growing up.  

Or I'll see a disappointed look from someone.  

Or I'll feel guilty out of habit because of a learned response from my growing up years, even though there's absolutely nothing to feel guilty about.

And I'll look around for a moment, wondering where all the grace went and how I probably need to get my stuff together so God can know I feel an appropriate level of guilt so he can Pez-dispenser me some grace and then I can feel good about where we are.

_________________

And gratefully, he'll remind me again that he's not holding our sins against us anymore - that Jesus took care of all that already - past, present, and future.

He'll remind me through somebody or something that I'll see or remember - that he's taken away the sins of the whole world already. 

He will remind me that NOTHING can separate us from his love.  Nothing.  His Spirit lives permanently in us and doesn't leave 'cause we had a few bad days in a row.

He will remind me that it's not about "going to church" and doing right and avoiding wrong.

Sure, knowing him, trusting and depending on him might include some of that, but not necessarily in the ways that pop culture Christianity is sold to most people.

___________________

If you're someone who struggles with remembering that - and from the number of you who've reached out and shared that it is - keep reminding yourself of what is true.

Start your day with remembering those things.  Write them on a card and put it on your mirror or your dashboard or your phone screen.

The world will slip in a LOT of extra chairs around the table and make you think something is off on a pretty regular basis - trying to convince you of something that isn't true.

Get basic about it.  Write it down.  

Believe it by faith, not by feelings - they'll lie to you and are easily manipulated.  

Make it a habit.  Share it with others you know who struggle.

You can do this.  God has already given you all you need!

Read 2 Peter 1 if you'd like to see it written down.

Peace and goodwill.