How important are rules anyway?

Ok so this is totally my sin nature. Today we were at the YMCA for the kids swimming lessons. James and I sit there on the side and watch Anna and Ryan. I would love to take James swimming while they take lessons but I need a new Swimsuit.

Anyway, in walks this young couple with a really sweet little baby. They take her in the pool and they look like they are having the best time. Mom and dad are laughing and playing with their daughter...it really was a cute picture. However, I could not get past the fact that they had their baby in a little floating device...and to top it off they were taking pictures. Ok, so you are probably wondering what in the world is wrong with me for being annoyed with all of this. Well...it's against the rules. The Y specifically says "No flotation devices." and "No taking pictures." Because the Y is considered to be like a private club.
I kept glancing at the life guard to see if he was going to do anything. He didn't, he just sat there. He probably thought I was just checking him out. Arg!

I told Bill about this when he got home from work. Of course being his laid back self, he was like, "So, what's the big deal?" He is so good for me. Always giving me good perspective and making me think. (God totally knew what He was doing when He picked Bill for me.) I don't know what the big deal was other than the fact that they were breaking the rules!! ha...Anna so takes after me. She has such a hard time when others don't do what she thinks they are supposed to do. Maybe it's a firstborn thing! Sadly she probably sees this trait in me.

I know it doesn't matter what other people do, and that I only need to worry about myself...but sometimes I struggle with that. I don't really like to admit that that is a struggle at all. I really for the most part don't judge others, at least I try not to. I have so many flaws and faults that I cannot point any fingers. So, I don't know why I sometimes get ruffled when something like this happens.

For many years of my Christian walk I struggled with legalistic thoughts. I KNEW I was right and any other believer that disagreed with me was wrong. WOW! So much pride in that. It really wasn't until I went to Bible collage right after high school that God began to change my heart. I wasn't relaying on a list of rules to get me to Heaven, but I did think it was important to try your best to be a good Christan...and that meant following a list of rules. I had faith that there was nothing I could do to save myself...but I guess I thought that growth must come out of my best efforts.

So you can imagine how wonderfully freeing it was to sit in Bible classes day after day and realize that I am dead to the law! The law was only there to point me to sin...not to say this is how you are supposed to live.

I want to share a quote that has been a tremendous blessing to me. It is from the book, "The complete Green Letters" by Miles Stanford. Awesome book by the way!

"Norman Douty writes, 'If I am to be like Him, than God in His grace must do it, and the sooner I come to recognize it the sooner I will be delivered from another form of bondage. Throw down every endeavor and say, I cannot do it, the more I try the farther I get from His likeness. What shall I do? Ah, the Holy Spirit says, you cannot do it; just withdraw; come out of it. You have been in the arena, you have been endeavoring, you are a failure, come out and sit down, and as you sit there behold Him, look at Him. Don't try and be like Him, just look at him. Just be occupied with Him. Forget about trying to be like Him. Instead of letting that fill your mind and heart, let Him fill it. Just behold Him, look upon Him through the Word. Come to the Word for one purpose and that is to meet the Lord. Not to get your mind crammed full of things about the sacred Word, but come to it to meet the Lord. Make it to be a medium, not of Biblical scholarship, but of fellowship with Christ. Behold the Lord.'"
Not at all about rules...but beholding the Lord and allowing Him to work in you. Being surrendered to him.

This experience was good for me today. It caused reflection. Thank you Lord for reminding me not to be so caught up about rules (although some amount of rule following is necessary). The point is my heart attitude.
I love how God can use normal every day stuff to teach me something!