By Rae Lynn DeAngelis
“Woah! What’s this?” I asked my friend upon entering her dad’s home office. I carefully leaned over to get a closer look but hadn’t a clue as to what it was. The room was filled with all kinds of modern artifacts. This was just one of them.
“It’s a pendulum,” my friend offered, matter of factly. “It’s really cool! Here, let me show you.” She lifted one of the weighted spheres hanging by thin wire, and let it go. As the ball swung back down and smacked into the others, something strange happened. The center spheres remained motionless while the spheres on the opposite sides swung out with great force. This back and forth motion repeated again and again for some time until it finally slowed and came to a stop. My mind was sufficiently blown. This was the coolest thing my seven-year-old eyes had ever seen.
When I got a bit older, I learned that this particular type of pendulum is called Newton’s Cradle. It is propelled by kinetic energy and momentum. Because the spheres in the center of the pendulum are so close to each other, the kinetic energy flows through them, but it doesn’t move them.
During a recent conversation with a friend, I was reminded of that pendulum. She talked about how before she became a Christian, she lived one way. But after she became a Christian, she lived a completely different way. (Nothing wrong with that, right? We should be living differently after becoming Christians.)
However, for her it was not just different. It was like she had swung too far in the other direction and was burdened by all the religious dos and don’ts. Some of which had no scriptural basis.
Sweet sisters, God gave us His Word (the Bible) so that we could know the truth. Truth that is meant to set us free, not put us in further bondage. “Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free'” (John 8:31-32).
Jesus condemned the Pharisees, on more than one occasion, for putting heavy yokes of religious rules onto His people. “Jesus replied, ‘And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them'” (Luke 11:46).
God teaches us through His Word that it’s not about following rules. It’s about following Him. The Lord doesn’t want us to be like a pendulum, swinging back and forth from one extreme to the next. He wants us to trust in His promises and come to a place of peace and rest, rest that comes by following Him. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 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” (Matthew 11:28-29).
So, how do we get there… to that place of peace and rest?
Remember those sphere’s in the center of the pendulum? Because they were so close together, they were not swayed by the outside forces coming against them.
The same is true for us. We need to link arms with Christians who are steadfast in their faith.
And we have a way for you to do just that! The Reaching New Heights Mentoring Program is a 14-week one-on-one spiritual growth journey you can go on with a like-minded sister-in-Christ whose sole purpose is to help you grow in your relationship with Jesus. Learn how to apply biblical truths to your everyday life and walk in your God-given purpose.
Friends, the forces coming against us have never been more intense, but we don’t have to be moved by them. Link arms with another sister-in-Christ and stand firm and strong on biblical truth.
“Take up your positions; stand firm… Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you” (2 Chronicles 20:17).
