I wanted to make a simple post and say 'out loud' that the choice to simplify, the choice to reduce, the choice to silence, and to mute - is amazing in its simplicity and its power. I am so thankful we are all doing this. I am so thankful there are other Christians willing to step up and say, 'yes, I want to grow!'. This is a marvelous thing and a proof that the Holy Spirit is hard at work changing and maturing each of us, every day. We are all being conformed into the image of Jesus and it is a good thing - and only that much more as we get to pursue Jesus with and through our friends!
This morning as I read in Luke 3 I surveyed the preaching of John with new eyes - I had never noticed before that the answer to every question he gives regarding turning from death to life involves - yep, wealth. Check this out:
"the crowds were asking him, “What then should we do?” John answered them, “The person who has two tunics must share with the person who has none, and the person who has food must do likewise.” Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He told them, “Collect no more than you are required to.” Then some soldiers also asked him, “And as for us – what should we do?” He told them, “Take money from no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your pay.” (Luke 3:10-14 NET)
...and it goes on to say that they were filled with anticipation and joy. This is because they were suddenly and unexpectedly finding the pearl of greatest price and it was God's life and joy they were stumbling into. I hope we are on the same path! They were about to come face to face with Messiah and the pre-requisites were not unobtainable, they were things people can really accomplish - God want's us to find Him!
I am personally so thankful that this process is bringing back to the surface my passion for people - to see those in my life grow, and mature in their faith. Most exciting of all - Jesus has been reminding me of the joy found in the Gospel; giving, and listening, and seeking to understand - in short, choosing to bear witness to the Gospel at work in people is the source of the greatest joy! I am so pleased to have re-found this simple truth. It is like cleaning out your closet and finding a great gift that you had forgotten all about and that meets some current and urgent need perfectly! "Ahhh, this is the answer to the riddle I have been struggling with! I have been searching and searching and it turns out what I have needed has been here the whole time!"
The simple truth - the answer to the riddle and the treasure lost in the midst of all my stuff at the back of the closet is this - as we give, as we pour out, as we choose to be really, truly, 'with' - as we choose to live with, love with, hope with, and suffer with - as we choose to listen to and then stand in solidarity with our neighbors in the spiritual places named 'life' and 'relationship', then we begin to understand and live in the joy of the Father's heart and hope; growing in our understanding that He truly loves, and truly hopes day in and day out for all His children to come home to him. As we allow ourselves to be poured out into other peoples lives, the Father is faithful to backfill our hearts with the dual nature of His love. We increase in our understanding of the passion and ache of His heart to save all that would come to Him AND we find that His joy, and exuberance, and satisfaction begin to course through our veins in measures greater than we can possibly have the space to contain. He is really just that good, and that is why we are here - to realize that God-goodness and to tell others that Salvation has come for them, that the Kingdom has drawn near to them, and that we need to talk. Blessings and go, be the Kingdom of Life in someone else's life today!
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