God or Me? Law or Gospel? Faith or Works?

   There is this tension between each of these.  And I find myself caught in them quite often. 

•  I need and want to learn more about God!  But I also need to learn about what I am and need to be..  
• I know God's Law tells me what to do and not do.  But then the Gospel tells me all about what God in Christ has done and continues to do for all of us.
• We are promised that faith in Christ receives God's gift of salvation.  And we are also told what we can do as followers of God.

   So which is it:  God, Gospel, Faith?  Or Me, Law, and Works?
 
   What if all of it is included?  Certainly God is our Creator.  And He has saved us through His Son, Jesus.  And He is now with us, and working in and through us.  So both God and each of us are all included in our lives.
 
   We may be told that something is completely beyond our control (such as what the weather will be today, or how a chronic illness will impact our bodies).  Or we may be told that it is all up to us (such as whether we have a savings account, or whether or not we overcome an addiction).  And even in those examples, we can debate how much each of us has to do with it, or not.  
   But in the end, many factors come into play in how something happens.  So it is with God and each of us.  God is omnipotent, and full of grace and love.  And he most often works in and through each one of us.  
   It seems best to not be so focused on getting everything figured out.  God is a mystery, and far beyond each of our understanding.  But He has given us enough to know that we can trust Him, and love and serve Him.  The Scriptures teach us as children of our Heavenly Father.  And just as a young child doesn't have it all figured out yet (and do we ever?), so with God and us.  We learn about Him.  And all He has done.  And we come to faith and follow our Savior.  May this lead us to a life of learning, service and worship of God our Savior and Lord!

Peace,
Pastor Steve