2 Timothy 4:1-5, The Message
I can’t impress this on you too strongly. God is looking over your shoulder. Christ himself is the Judge, with the final say on everyone, living and dead. He is about to break into the open with his rule, so proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch. Challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don’t ever quit. Just keep it simple.
You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. But you—keep your eye on what you’re doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God’s servant.
Just keep it simple,
you say.
It doesn’t get much more simple
than the story we celebrate,
does it?
That’s why it’s best to hear it
from the lips of children.
Because children get simple.
And too often,
we do not.
Lord, keep it simple
in me, okay?
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Simple is always best; simple and straightforward with no veering to the left or right of what the Gospel tells us.
Blessings, Diana!
Liv prayed last night before dinner: Thank you God for Jesus coming to save us from our sins and thank you for everything else.
Simple. Profound. True.
Oh, and Liv is five.
Your thoughtful meditation set me to wondering, Diana: Why did God made the gospel so simple? Perhaps so no human effort is involved, to keep pride out of it. The first step toward salvation is to simply and humbly admit our need of a Savior. People rarely refuse God’s gift of eternal life because they’re confounded by any complexities of the gospel message; they refuse on the basis of pride. They think they’re going to be just fine without Jesus. I pray that holy curiosity would overcome their thinking and they’d be Holy-Spirit driven to learn the truth: Those who believe in Jesus will have eternal life (John 3:16)–nothing else will suffice.
Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, mind, and strength…and love your neighbor as yourself. There are no commandments greater than these…Mark 12:29-33
The Love the Lord part seems so simple, and the neighbor part the hardest.
Just LOVE, and maybe seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.