The Fish Tank

I was cleaning up our bedroom removing sheets and letting air out of the air mattresses. The boys had a little slumber party in our room. One mattress was at the end of our bed, the other on one side of our bed. I had to walk back and forth to get everything torn down. Every time I walked to the left side of the bed, I tripped over the corner of the rug. Do you have a rug that does that? Is there a corner of a rug in your house that curls up and no matter how many books you stack on it, it never lays flat? Anytime I make our bed, I trip on that stupid rug. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 Before you click that "X" in the top corner, I want you to know that this isn't a post about what horrible sinners we are. This is a post about freedom. How often do we have junk in our lives and instead of attacking it head on, we stuff it down? We keep piling books on top of our issues...

Ah, religion. It's pretty little walls hold us in tight with its rules and regulations. We like the safety of knowing; the list where we can check all the boxes. Religion all neat and tidy luring us in with its way of life that will lead to safety and good tidings. It feels safe in the arms of religion. There is no questioning or doubting what the rules are. We can easily get into the routine of religion. Be good. Be nice. Speak kindly. Don't sin. Dress up and go to church on Sunday. It's easy. Known. Comfortable. But... Jesus didn't live for safety. Jesus didn't play within the confines of the rules. Jesus was a risk taker. Jesus did not hang out in the safety of the four walls that religion provides. Jesus didn't walk with the religious elite. Jesus walked with the outcasts. Jesus challenged the religious elite. Jesus ran towards danger. Not away. Religion will keep you safe. Jesus will get you killed. 'Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him...