A Simple Life

As I'm working through our current sermon series on "The Life You've Always Wanted" and reading the book by the same title by John Ortberg, I'm being personally challenged to renew in my own life many of the spiritual disciplines we all take for granted.

The life of a church planter is like that of many others. We're busy. Hurried. Task-driven. Calendar-driven. Project-driven. Simply put - we're just driven and driven by a lot of externals. Sermon has to be ready. Visitors contacted. Web site updated. Newsletter completed. Bulletin ready. Pastoral care given. Small groups prepared for. The list goes on. Actually, the list never ends.

As I sat down this morning to read my Bible and read through Ortberg's book, though, I hear another voice speak clearly in the hurrying and busy-ness. It's the voice of letting go and simplifying one's life. It's the voice calling gently to retreat to a quiet place and be still with God. (Ps. 46:10)

Jesus would regularly go to a quiet place and pray. I imagine he had a lot to do as well. His mind was likely occupied with ministry needing to be accomplished. And still, Jesus recognized the importance of spending regular periods of time with God. (Mark 6:32, Luke 6:12) He let go of the "ministry need" for a moment to focus on that which gave the ministry life.

I wonder sometimes who it was that got the ball rolling on our being so hurried in life. Who was it that subtly told us that unless we were DOING something then we weren't of much value. And so we "do." And now we "do" at dizzying rates of speed. Consider how much email we receive demanding our attention and action. Consider how many people now are equipped with pda's to help them keep track of all of their personal "clutter." Consider our own lives and how far removed from simplicity and grace we so often feel. How many of us feel like time with our families has become a chore distracting us from our "real" work?

Jesus said in Matthew 6, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ?...33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own"

I love it. It's such a radical statement of re-orientation. Basically it says, "Don’t worry about it - what you need, God will provide." Could there be any more simple statement of our faith?

What would happen in our lives if this scripture were to be applied to every project, relationship, association, "to do" item, or calendar event. Would we, like the type-A's among us fear, simply jettison responsibility? Or might we actually begin to experience God-breathed depth to our lives as we pause long enough to hear His voice and experience His presence.

Pause. Breathe deeply. Thank God deeply. Just be in his presence. Repeat.