Discerning the things that Matter

     Yesterday we looked at how our lives can waver, running from hot to cold spiritually. This can happen because distractions consume life and siphon our focus from where it belongs.
     One of the distractions cast before us at Passover and other times is legalism. We are told “you must” and forced into a performance mode in order, as we are told to please God.
     Jewish people spend a great deal of time cleaning their homes for the Passover in order to obey the command, “For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses.” (Ex 12:15) They have two sets of plates, and really take to heart a reading from the Mishnah which says, “the hametz must be searched for by the light of a lamp.”
     In chapter five of Spring: Connecting with God (Kindle), we look at how cleaning the house takes precedence over spiritual preparation. The real reason God tells us to clean the leavening is because God desires for us to clean our own lives. This is captured in Proverbs: “As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable. Remove the dross from the silver, and out comes material for the silversmith; remove the wicked from the king's presence, and his throne will be established through righteousness. Do not exalt yourself in the king's presence, and do not claim a place among great men; it is better for him to say to you, "Come up here," than for him to humiliate you before a nobleman.” (Pr 25:3-7)
     People love to “do something” rather than “look inside ourselves;” for this reason we can become consumed by effort. In the New Testament Jesus chides Mary for becoming consumed by work, rather than allowing herself to look inward spiritually. (Luke 10:38-42)
     The reason God tells us not to eat leavening is so we will identify with the slaves who left Egypt and did not have time to let the bread rise. But what we often do not tell clearly is how Moses prepared the people spiritually, telling them through the process to see the hand of God in the events of the Exodus. The Jewish people are told to take a lamb in their home for 3 days, to put the blood on the doorpost, and to see how God protects those spiritually prepared.
     Removal of leavening is symbolic of clearing the evil out of our lives. God wants us to focus on Him, not the cleaning of a house. Two weeks ago we looked at Spiritual Preparation for Passover in this blog. We need to clean our homes and remove the leavening with prayers and preparation, immersing ourselves into the real reasons why God wants us to do things rather than just going through actions.