List-eater Christians

I started the Daniel Fast on Monday. My plan is to do it for 40 days and maybe longer. As I have changed my diet, I have seen how many things I run to before Jesus. These are not just food, but many other things. This fast has just provided an opportunity for me to be reminded of my dependency on so many things before Christ. I have also found that the list of things I find emotional comfort in before Jesus to be long and worn out. I believe the term for this in the Bible is idolatry.

Idolatry – placing anything in a position of greater importance than the most important thing; worship of anything that is not meant to be worshiped but to cause worship of its creator; replacing things of ultimate worth with things of temporary and fading worth

I have also found as the week has gone along that my ability to stick to the rules of the fast has increased. I have learned the things that I can eat, I like to eat, and that fill me up. I have found a way in my humanness to do my list. As this has happened, I have struggled with opening the Word and remembering my dependence on Christ. Early in the week, I found it easy to dwell on Christ because I was often hungry and unsatisfied. But now, as I have adjusted to the differences, it is much harder to remain in that constant state of dependence. This fact points out my weakness all the more. Christianity is not about a list, but life. If we just had a list, then we would learn to keep that list and never enter into a relationship with God. My list has changed from two weeks ago to now, but even in 7 days I have adjusted to keeping this list instead.

There is an old Aggie story about the ‘list-eater’. To get tickets to football games, you have to wait in this line according to your seniority throughout the week. Many people camped out for days and days to get the best seats. To make sure that it was known who was there first, they kept a list. Apparently, one year before the big Texas game, things got pretty tense and tight. There was a major argument about the list and who was in the right order. The famed ‘list-eater’ took the list in a moment of frustration and rage and proceeded to eat the list, never to be seen again. This caused even more confusion and ruckus than before since the list was gone.

I want to be a ‘list-eater’ Christian. I want the list of things that I feel like I have to do to please God to be digested and thrown out. Sure, some of those things on that list might have been around a long time and deserve some importance. Sure, I cannot get away from doing things on that list whether the list exists or not. But based on my experience with God and with the Bible, the list is meaningless. The list is Satan’s attempt to keep us entrapped, entangled and in bondage to rules and not relationship. The list is our attempt to stay in God’s good graces. Sure, not having the list might cause some confusion because we are used to a set of guidelines and not a relationship. But the relationship is what matters, not following an obscure set of rules.

I have also found that freedom and life is in Christ alone. Everything else that we call life, is only a tainted image of what true life is about. I have begun to see a glimpse of that life over the past few years. I have seen life more fully this past week than I had previously.

For those of us who are in Christ Jesus, we need not work to earn our salvation or favor in God’s sight. We could not increase nor decrease God’s view of us. He is wisdom and therefore sees all things as they truly are. We are what we are, and that comes through Jesus Christ. We are accepted because of Him. We are treasured because of Him. We are valued because of Him.

Our lists are a form of religion that is not pure and undefiled before God. Our lists get us nowhere fast. Our lists cause us to forget the gospel. Our lists hinder growth and life.

Let us be ‘list-eaters’ and seek God and not the rules we make up.

Romans 8:1 – There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Hosea 6:6 – For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Isaiah 64:6 – We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.