Beautiful Simplicity



Sometimes it helps me to stop and reflect on where I've been in my journey. I have a journal that i pick up and fill a page of about once a month. In the journal I usually choose a scripture verse that I've maybe heard alot or am very familiar with and I try to draw out the richness of its meaning. It can be so easy to read over and skim verses we "know." What we neglect to remember is that the scriptures are filled with meaning not just from one angle but from many. The more we look at them and turn them around in our minds and hearts the more they show us.

I like to pick up my journal and read through it every once in a while. I can see where I have been painted on the pages of my journal. I remember the power that a verse has when you read it anew. the scriptures are alive! I like to sit and clear out all the rush and daily frustrations and just reflect on scripture... or even more I'll sit and just think about how great God is.

People often talk about devotional time as a very academic experience. I often hear "in my devotion I learned..." what if we just stopped learning for a second?

One of my favorite things to do is go to the driving range and hit golf balls, there I feel total release. I often find myself paused after a drive just looking out at the green grass and blue sky. Some of my best devotion times are right there at the golf course. Stop and think for a moment. Think about the beauty of God... His love... His mercy... His compassion. I find that the more we dive in to the depth of Gods word and His attributes the more we forget how much we love Him. That's what it's about isn't it? Love! Is it about love for you? Or has the romance faded?

Have you forgotten the simple beauty of God?

Maybe sometime this week go back and read a scripture verse that you know? And try forgetting that you already "get it" (because you're fooling yourself anyway). Allow God to speak to you the simple words again. Forget the big words and the Hebrew words and the Greek words and hear once again His words. Remember that God may be as simple as He is difficult. Maybe you'll hear Him say "I love you" or "It's ok, I forgive you." Remember that in the end it's about love and God is crazy about you.

See it again for the first time. Gaze it from again from a new perspective.

Comments

Stephanie said…
Beautiful post. I will take you're advice....I needed to hear that! God has truly blessed you with the gift of pastoring, even if it's just on a blog right now. I would love to hear you speak. You have such profound, insightful things to say!!!

Thanks for blessing us with your posts. :)
Stephanie said…
Okay so I'm the biggest dork ever. I just realized I said "pastoring" when I meant to say, "God has blessed you with the gift of teaching. " Sorry for my dorkines....have a great day!!!
the photo reminded me of JOB 28
the only Bible I have at work is
The Message, because it doen't look like a Bible so I don't get in trouble for having it on my desk...anyway here is part of what Job 28 says in that version - can't give you the verses, because the Messge doesn't have verse numbers:
Where oh where will they find wisdom? Where does insight hide? it can't be bought with the finest gold, no amount of silver can get it, even famous ophir gold can't buy it, not even diamonds and sapphires, neither gold nor emeralds are comparable, extravagant jewlry can't touch it, peral necklaces, and ruby bracelets - why bother...Then he addressed the human race: Here it is! Fear of the LORD, that's Wisdom, and Insight means shunning evil.
blessings wes!
IMO said…
Bonhoeffer first said that we should look at each word of scripture and ask, "How is God speaking directly to ME through this"? Before that scripture was interpreted by someone else or you were "taught" by someone else what it said and what it meant. I like to look at my old journals too and my old Bible where I highlighted different scripture that meant one thing then and now means another. I think that it is sad for some who still see scripture as words or laws or whatever. I heard a deacon at our old church say one time, "I already read the Bible, I know what it says"--that is just too sad!