Pursuing Simplicity

Pursuing Simplicity (Deuteronomy 10:12-22)

Many of us who walk with the Lord allow our lives to become more complicated than they need to be or ought to be. The more I read Scripture, the more I'm convinced that simplicity is a worthwhile goal for the Christian. It isn't something our world urges us to pursue, but it seems to be a mark of those who have walked with the Lord.

Life seems increasingly complicated, and the twists and turns keep us from living simply. The complications of everyday life infect all of life. Before we know it, everything is complicated including walking with Jesus. How do we escape all the complicated hurdles that keep us from walking with the Lord? Again, as I read the Scriptures, I come to the conclusion that pursuing simplicity is simpler than we think. Moses gives us a path to simplicity in his recital of God's expectations to the Israelites at their impending entrance to the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 10:12-22).

He sums up God's expectations for His people in four words: fear, love, serve and keep. The expectations that go with the words are simple. They'll help us avoid many of life's complications if we'll choose to live them out.

FEAR the Lord your God, is the first step to simplicity. God asks us to respect Him enough to never bring disrepute on His name. We want to hold Him in high reverence and do nothing to damage His reputation.

LOVE the Lord your God, is the second step in the pursuit of simplicity. God asks us to love Him more than anyone or anything else. To love God with all our hearts and souls is to give Him the place He deserves in our lives. That love for God will protect us from many of the complications our world can throw at us.

SERVE the Lord your God takes us another step toward simple living. When He has first place in our lives, serving is as natural as waking up every morning. It's not complicated. We listen for direction and do what He asks of us. We serve Him because we have great reverence for Him and because we love Him. -- John Strain is Senior Pastor First Baptist Toms River

God's WORD for YOU -- Proverbs 17; Ezekiel 5-7; Hebrews 12

Think About This: Grace is something you can never get but can only be given. There's no way to earn it or deserve it or bring it about anymore than you can deserve the taste of raspberries and cream or earn good looks. A good night's sleep is grace and so are good dreams. Most tears are grace. The smell of rain is grace. Somebody loving you is grace. -- Frederick Buechner