Focus:  Rules & Rituals

Colossians 2:16-17

Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.  ESV

No Matter where we go it seems like there are always rules to follow. There are rules at your house, at school, at practice, on the roads...they're literally everywhere. So it makes sense that we're programmed to think everything involves following rules. This is especially true when it comes to our spiritual lives. The human struggle seems to be about trying to figure out what we have to do, or what rule or set of rules we have to follow, to make God happy. This is what Paul was addressing in this passage. People were casting judgement on others about whether they followed certain rituals. Paul reminded his readers that it wasn't the ritual that's important. it's the heart behind it.

The crazy thing is that God repeatedly tells us in His Word that it isn't the rules He's interested in. He's interested in our hearts. He wants us to love Him; He wants us to have a relationship with Him. Think about most of the rules you follow. Do you really want to follow them all? Do you love following them? No, of course not...well many might answer "of course not." Anyone can follow a rule without their heart being in it. This is worthless to God. Does He have rules and commands to obey? For sure. But He wants us to follow them because we love Him, not because we think we're earning His favor.

• What motivates your behavior? A set of do's and don'ts? Or a desire to please God born out of your love for Him?

• How can you adjust your attitude accordingly?