Just a Task?

by Angie Thomas

I am so thankful for this journey the Lord has allowed us to walk this semester as we study Ephesians.  As I was contemplating that I considered how we often talk of a “Bible/discipleship study” or refer to completing our “homework”. There is a risk in using these words to describe what we are doing.  We risk forgetting that in these activities our goal is not to simply to participate or complete them, but to meet with a person…Jesus.

If we are really honest and stop long enough to contemplate this and not just give the “Sunday School” answer, is that how we see our time on Tuesday nights or during our day when we find time to open our study to do our “homework”—seeing it as a time to really meet with Jesus?

I know that I haven’t been.  I had been praying that the Lord would show me when I could “get my homework done.” Having a newborn with an unpredictable sleep pattern makes this challenging.  But the Lord gently said to my heart, “Are you seeking to just check something off your to-do list, or do you really want to meet with Me?”

Ouch. I had relegated my time with Him to a task.  Girls, Jesus is not a task or a “to-do.”  He is a person and He deeply desires to reveal Himself to us.  I love what He told the disciples in Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Do you hear His invitation? Come to Me.

Jesus, forgive us when we see participating in a Bible study or doing our homework as something “good” or something to ease our conscience, instead of seeing it as an invitation to meet with you, to learn more about you.  I don’t want to see you as a religion or a belief, but as a person.

So, this is my prayer for all of us this semester.  That we would seek to know more about Jesus as we walk through and learn more about who He is in the book of Ephesians.  May we not seek to merely gain knowledge, or do something “good” but may we seek Him.  Do you know what His promise is to those who choose this route?  He reveals it at the end of Matthew 11, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (v. 29).  Rest for our souls.