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."
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2 comments:
Yea. I love that. Simple not easy. Just obey. When sin desires to have you "crouching at your door" you know what to do. Simply obey. Good stuff Maynard, and CONGRATULATIONS! fer making a baby. Well done laddy. I was just pondering this the other day, in my venue before the whole congreagation by the way. God used me to make a person...to create two little people. I get to care for them, keep 'em safe, introduce them to Jesus, walk with Jesus with them, and see them used to do the same thing. Very cool. It is a glorious, humbling, terrifying, inviggerating, impossible, simple thing to do. Email me already and let me know what's going on.
Hi Jeff - You don't know me - but I was one of your dad's students waaay back in his days at Baptist Christian (so yeah - I remember when YOU were born!) (and my husband and I are also Moody alums!)
I just thought I'd stop and say
CONGRATULATIONS!
I bet your mom and dad and grandparents (and Kelly etc...)are thrilled!
We'll pray that all goes well....
and thanks for the reminder about the simple things...I needed that, too!
Melissa J.
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