Summer Lists

Ah, summer. We’re in the thick of it now, when bright hot days slide by one by one and the neighborhood kids stay up late playing outside. It’s a time we work for and look forward to the other nine months of the year, and every summer in Wisconsin, we pack in all the fun we can! If you’re like me you might admit by the time August rolls around you’re kind of ready for more routine, for less ice-cream, beer, baseball, camping, water parks, weddings, and late nights. Last year I made this bucket list for summer: fifty things I wanted to do with these three golden months. “Checking off these things will guarantee a great summer”, I thought, scanning the list. “If we do all these things, summer will be awesome! How can it not!?” I needed some summer fun, some ways to kick back and relax after a stressful stay-at-home spring.

Somewhere mid-way through, though, things weren’t as idyllic as I planned. Places were closed, the kids had colds after too many ‘awesome’ nights of late bedtimes, and I wasn’t the easy breezy self I had envisioned. What was wrong? We were following the list! Turns out my checklist for an awesome summer wasn’t a road map to success. I should have known. The rest and happiness I sought weren’t going to be found in earthly fun, they were bigger than that— not stored in a camping bag or on a beach blanket— and I was exhausted trying to manufacture them for myself.

Are you a list conqueror? Do you find satisfaction in checking things off one by one? Do you feel victorious when the last box is checked and sigh with satisfaction at the task complete? Sometimes we make the mistake of keeping mental lists in pursuit of religious success. We want to feel like a successful Christian so we sign up to mow at church, pray for a friend, attend a Bible study, have the kids do VBS, serve musically, get a Bible reading app, give a special offering or other things that help us feel pious. But this feeling only lasts for awhile.

Nevertheless, doing things that bring feelings of religious success might be preferred to actually keeping God’s law in the Ten Commandments. Talk about a list you can never do. You can never check things off when the word “perfectly” follows each line item… Maybe the reason we prefer those other works is because they’re easily done, less abstract, and make us feel better than ‘just’ loving God, honoring our parents, telling the truth or loving our neighbor.

I know I don’t even keep the greatest commandment, not to mention all of God’s laws. I don’t love God with my whole heart—not even the most dedicated Christian can— but thankfully following a list of rules is not the way to heaven.

The good news is being a Christian doesn’t depend on our keeping the law, or on doing any of the things we do that cause triumphant, feel-good, pat on the back moments. Being a Christian depends on Christ. We are conquerors, more than conquerors through faith in the One who has overcome the world.

I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33.

The people who are really victorious are those who know that Jesus is the Son of God. He died for our sins, checking off all items on God’s list for salvation, once and for all. Even the days when our works don’t reflect our faith, when we don’t feel like winners, we are. Christians sin all the time, yet trust not in themselves but in Jesus alone. We know real peace and can believe our pastor when he says “As a called servant of Christ and by the authority of the Gospel, I forgive you all your sins.” Because of that great exchange, our sins are swapped for Christ’s holiness, and we are perfect in God’s eyes. Though good works and love are required of us as called, sanctified children, they don’t save. Only Jesus can do that.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith— and this not from yourselves, is it the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

You might wonder if I made a bucket list again this summer? Nope. Oh, I have grand plans to squeeze every drop of fun out of summer (and still like a good list don’t get me wrong), but a good summer needs Jesus just like every other season. May our summer mindset be to seek Him first.

Since then you have been raised with Christ, set you hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:1-2

Thank you Jesus for being our way to the Father, for covering our sin with your righteousness. Bless our summer months with love and joy. Help our faith in you to grow each day. Amen.