Zitch

My family plays a car game we refer to as "Zitch Cop." The rules are simple: (1) More than one person must be in the car, and (2) The first person to say "Zitch Cop" when he/she sees a police officer gets a point.

My friend let me borrower her car, and today when we got inside of it, my son asked if we could play Zitch Cop in it. I told him, "Yes, it's not about what car we're in. It's about us being together."

Then it struck me - this is the way the church is. It's not about the building, the location, or even the activity. Whenever God' people are together, we're having church.

As time has progressed my kids want to add more and more rules. Isn't it funny how most people say they hate rules yet tend to make up more rules than necessary? Again, it's the same with our faith.

In Jesus' day the Jews suffered through this same dilemma as they tried to honor the law. But that which began as 10 commandments had become hundreds, even thousands of laws, and with far reaching implications. So it's no surprise to read in Matthew 22:36-40 when one day Jesus had the following encounter:

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

That makes it pretty easy, doesn't it? Let's keep it simple today.