I Prefer a Shot of Grape Juice

Tara Barthel introduced me to this song on her blog.

Musically, the song is a little bland to my ears (Of course, when reading my opinion, you must consider that my favorite genre is classic rock).

However, lyrically the song is culturally relevant and thought provoking.

As I watched and listened, I was reminded of something I often take for granted: how scary it is to live without Christ.

Christ is the Prince of Peace. Without Christ, there is no true peace. Peace is not something that can be something manufactured by following rules of tolerance or political correctness. These things only mask hurt, worry, rage and feelings of loneliness within.

Trying to live without Christ is like moving through life with a migraine headache. Every sound, ever movement is painfully magnified.

This goes for both non-Christians and for Christians who refuse to humble themselves before God and view him as Lord of their life.

To this end, I appreciated how New Law mentioned communion. Churches are oftentimes more concerned about the tolerance of aberration, and set the example of disregarding scripture by leading people in this way, than they are about offending God by changing the way they serve the Eucharist. When we are fully submitting to God, we don’t have to rationalize our actions or look for the loopholes. Wine means wine.

How tiresome it is to try justify ourselves to God. How tiresome it is to take on the attributes of God. How tiresome it is to try to earn our salvation or to “be saved” on our own terms. If this is the attitude that characterizes our lives, how can we really say we’re saved? Saved means saved. If we could do it on our own, we wouldn’t need saving.

The Bible says in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

When we trust in God, we no longer have to be “bossed around by our fear.”(< -- link to a practical application of this thought) 1 John 4:17-19 "By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us."