You know, as we go through this life, there are several ways we can live. The way I was brought up, my parents taught me to believe that if I was going to have a good life, it was up to me. If something needed to be done, i needed to do it. It’s not a bad life alternative, and I suspect most of you learned that same way to live. You might describe it as “The American Way”, or at least it used to be. Everybody is equal, and you need to work hard to get ahead, or to become special.

Another way people are brought up today, is to learn that everyone is special. Now, on the surface that sounds ok, after all everyone is special in at least some way, and we certainly do want to recognize everyone’s specialness. The thought is that we can help each person avoid having a low self esteem, and enable them to get along in life. The problem comes in when we go too far, and teach them that they are “entitled” to a good life because they are special. This leads people to think they don’t need to work hard to have a good life, and that society owes them pretty much anything they want. In my view this is not good, definitely not good.

The last alternative I want to talk about today is certainly not the least of these, and for me is the best way to live. It is what I call “The Abiding Life”. It is base in part on this verse;
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Put on my yoke, and learn from me. I’m gentle and humble. And you will find rest for yourselves. My yoke is easy to bear, and my burden is light.”

We have all felt like life is a heavy burden at times, and sometime you just want to give up because there just doesn’t seem to be a good way to get past all the obstacles we see in our current path. In this verse, Jesus is telling us that if we “abide” with Him, he will give us the rest and peace we desire, and more than that He will clear and create a path for us through all the obstacles we see. And finally, notice the difference between the two other alternatives. He doesn’t say we have to do it all, and He doesn’t say the world owes us anything, He says that by putting on His Yoke, or burden, that everything will be alright. We still need to work, but we don’t need to worry because He will handle all of the big problems. This last verse pretty much says it all;

John 15:7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you”

As I abide in Christ, my life may not be without obstacles, but they all look so much smaller. How about you?