Thursday, January 17, 2008

simple, not easy

so christmas is over. the new year has rolled in. the change that 2008 promises has begun. and i'm finally able to sit for a few minutes and reflect a little on what's been going on.

it's been a fun new year for my wife and i so far. a new quest has begun. we're past our 1-year anniversary, and we're expecting the birth of our first baby in june (staggering and exciting thought). but the new quest isn't really something new...just something we've freshly committed to. it shames me to say this...but after a year of marriage i realized that i had never stepped up as a leader and lead us in consistent devotions. but now we have been enjoying the blessings of spending more time together in God's Word and on our knees (figuratively speaking...she's doing less bending over these days).

through this commitment, God has already been impressing on our hearts the simplicity of His call on our lives. that's right...it's SIMPLE! notice i didn't say easy...just simple.

He says, "obey Me".

we like to make it so complicated. trying to worry over and manipulate what we can't change (our circumstances)...and we lose sight of what we have a responsibility to change (our character). God is more concerned about my CHARACTER than He is about my CIRCUMSTANCES. and all He says to me is, "obey." that simple.

and He blesses obedience.

why do i make things so complicated? it's almost embarrassing to me that it feels like this realization of the simplicity of God's call on my life seems like such a water-shed event in my life right now. but it's helping me put things into perspective. just obey God. right now. in the little things. all the little choices i have to make right now...i can make choices to obey God.

then someday, after days and days of perseverance and consistent obedience, i want to hear those words, "well done, good and faithful servant."