More thoughts on Simplicity

Seems like Simplicity is the word that God is speaking over my life in abundance right now, I can feel the burden of business and distraction losing it's grip and have a sense of the peace that is to come.

This morning my devotional was based on Matthew 22:34-40. The basic message shouting that the two most important rules of life are, Love the LORD your God, and love your neighbour as yourself. In the Old Testament, the rules for God's chosen people were in the 600's, and sticking to them was burdensome and impossible, they served as a daily reminder of a persons need for God. In the New Testament, the rules have been broken down and simplified into those two simple commandments. Love God and Love others.

Let's look at my life today, how am I loving God? Am I using my time and talents in a way that glorifies Him? Not as much as I would want to, not even close. I allow the busyness of life to take my focus from the simple task of loving you and making my actions worship you.

And loving my neighbour? I would like to think I can be a good friend, but I let time limit me. I allow my schedule to get filled up too quickly with too many things that spread me too thin to be effective anywhere. And as for our literal neighbours, we had grand plans to get to know and be intentional with those living on our street but those dreams got pushed aside for other, more pressing, less important things. I hope we can reclaim some of our fire to be good neighbours - starting with the long walk down the driveway, and across the street to say hello.

Last night Jeremy and I prayed together before bed. We didn't have the TV on, even for the news which is always a gateway drug to less informative programming. Instead we talked, shared about what the week ahead would hold for us and then we prayed. We prayed for one another, friends and family, the world, and for our marriage. We shared aloud hopes and fears and dreams, we shared with one another and with the Lord. Amen to that and to starting these simple, life-giving habits.

More simple is the goal, deeper intimacy the reward.