The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy… And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it…But only the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
(Isa 35.1&2,9&10)
As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.
Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.
(Mk 1.16&17; 2.13&14)
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.”
(Jn 14.6)
Our hope for salvation rests entirely upon the finished work of Jesus, and the outpouring of grace which that represents. If ever we are tempted to think that our lives have somehow earned favour from God, we have fallen into error and the bondage of rule keeping again. BUT there is a place for our good works, our good habits, our aspirations to do and be better! These are not the means by which we approach salvation – not the road to the Cross – rather they are the result of the Cross! It is because we have been so deeply loved, so powerfully made alive in Christ, that we find the Holy Spirit working in us to produce love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and so many other fruit. It is because of the Spirit that we even desire these things!
I believe that, in the same way that an athlete organises their entire life around the goal of excelling in their chosen sport, or a musician in their particular field, so also the follower of Jesus can make choices about their lives which will tend to support and enable spiritual maturity, transformation and fruitfulness. These things can be described as a Rule of Life, but given the negativity attached to ‘rules’, it is perhaps better to think of rhythms or habits of life, which will both support and flow out of a growing and living faith.
We want to be disciples of Jesus; we are called to be disciples! We are summoned, as were Levi, Andrew and Peter, to follow him, to be with him, to learn by doing and sharing life together with our Lord and the community of believers. The enemy of our souls is continually at work to distract, draw us away, disempower us, and uses all means in his power to do so. If we do not deliberately cultivate godly habits, making ourselves harder for the enemy to reach, then we will assuredly be conformed to his ways, and will miss all that God desires for us. In the same way that an apple tree can be trained to a particular way of growing – eg against a wall, with parallel horizontal branches – so also the ‘rules’ or rythmns which we speak of in relation to our lives as followers of Jesus are a means of training, helping us to go where ultimately we want to go of our own accord and free will – which we will do as the Spirit transforms us into Christ’s likeness. We are the trees, and our godly habits and disciplines are the trellis or training structure to which we commit ourselves in faith and trust in God’s power to transform us.
We don’t follow rules in order to be saved… we are saved, and in loving gratitude, humble submission and eager partnership with God’s spirit, we are led into a life where every aspect is touched and changed, resulting in habits and qualities which reflect our saviour. The way of life commended to us in scripture is not a book of rules to be fearfully kept, but a guidebook, an indicator and aid to our training in righteousness and growing sanctification. Isaiah describes it as a way which is full of life and joy – even in the midst of a desert – because the Lord is with his people and gives them life and eternal hope.
Heavenly Father, I rejoice today in your grace which has brought me from death in sin, to life in Christ. I rejoice to know that I live by your Spirit from day to day, and that your plans for me are good. Let me submit joyfully to all that it means to follow Jesus; let me grow in wisdom and self-control, discerning those things which will put me in the right place to work with your Spirit and not resist or suppress his transforming power. Show me what it looks like in this season of my life to follow Jesus, to be with him, to grow in likeness to him, and let me not hold back from the Way which is laid before me – for my blessing and for your glory I pray, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
