I'm going to go into a time of confession. All too often for me, living the Christian life is a matter of "have to" instead of "get to." Let me explain.

I usually look at the teachings of Jesus, perhaps some from the Sermon on the Mount, as what I must do, asking myself "what does Jesus require" as in a law? Well, he says to pray for thoso who persecute you, turn the other cheek, give to the poor, etc. I then relay this to my daily living as things I "have to do" to be pleasing to God, and I go about my life like that.

What I must do, I believe, instead, is to look at these teachings as not what I "have to do" but what I "get to do" in this life with Jesus. I get to live in His Kingdom, I get to give to the poor, I get to partner with Jesus in reaching this lost world, I get to pray for others, which Willard calls the "highest act of love" in hope that they too will turn to Christ for their salvation and new life in Him.

Are you following me. I continue to learn, although it's hard to get through my thick skull, that they dispositions by Jesus are not laws, they are not things that must be done, for we are already "saved" or "going to heaven." These, rather, are things that God gives us the opportunity to partner with Him in what He is doing in our lives and in this world. I will keep you updated on my struggles with this, as this is a major pardigm shift in my own mind.