Mans’ Way or Gods’ Way?

“So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath,

the Jewish leaders began to persecute him.”

John 5:16

What were the ‘these things’ that Jesus was doing on the Sabbath?

It wasn’t just preaching and teaching.

Jesus was healing the sick and setting free those in bondage.

I don’t imagine those who were indeed changed by the power of God touching their lives were upset that God chose to do what He did in their lives on a Sabbath day.

But we can also be so ‘ruled’ by our traditions that we don’t easily accept when God steps in to ask us to be about His business and not so concerned about the ‘way we’ve always done things!’

Jesus was persecuted, in part, because He did not follow the traditions man had established.

...And, horror of horrors, He was changing people’s lives and they were following Him.

If that was allowed to continue then before you know it the religious leaders of the day would no longer have the perceived authority and credibility so important to them.

Through it all Jesus continued to go about doing good.

He continued to do what He saw His Father doing.

In our lives the loudest critic is often our own thoughts.

We battle in our mind about the ‘old ways’ and wonder if we are somehow betraying expectations when we fail to keep traditions.

But any tradition that keeps us from doing the will of God is not worth being kept!

Don’t let traditions lull you into a place of disobedience.

Seek Him first!