Wednesday, February 24, 2010

A Simple Life Well-Lived

One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”
Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his public ministry.  Luke 3:21-23
            Luke tells us that Jesus was about thirty years old when He “went public.” For almost thirty years, Jesus lived a simple, “normal,” life. Growing, learning, working, (See Luke 2:52) and living without spectacle or fame. Neighbor, son, brother, nephew… working as a carpenter in the family business (See Mark 6:3). The Word of God, in flesh, quietly living out a normal life,
            The remarkable thing about these two verses in Luke, is the order they come in.  Before the miracles, the signs, the wonders, the teaching, the disciples and followers, Jesus lived a life simply submitted to His parents (Luke 2:51) and to His Father in Heaven. And before the wonders, the signs, the miracles, the teaching, the disciples and the followers, Jesus was dearly loved by God and brought God great joy!
            It is so easy in our “15 minutes of fame” world to think that we must be spectacular to please God, but the order of these two verses shows otherwise! God is pleased – in fact, greatly joy-filled, by a quiet life, well lived, in submission to Him.

Let’s Do Something About It
Consider your faith goals. Do you sometimes feel like you have to do something spectacular in order to bring glory to God? Confess these feelings, and ask the Holy Spirit to show you how you can bring great joy to the Lord today, by simply and quietly being the Word of God to those around you.

4 comments:

elderchild said...

The simpler life becomes,
the more life becomes.......

Simplicity is a gift that needs be received and embraced.......

Robyn Henk said...

beautiful Elder Child -- thanks for your comment

Greg said...

Why do we complicate the simplest things? The example is there - and our experience tells us to simplify.

Greg

elderchild said...

Simply, we have been braindirtyed to the utmost by both the secular and religious educational processes of this world ;-(

When one embraces Simplicity the cleansing begins.......

Some 2000 years ago Truth testified, "the WHOLE world is under the control of the evil one" and that "evil men and seducers would become worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived".......

And so it is needful to take heed unto The Call to "Come Out of her, MY people".......

Be not of those who are destroying Creation and perverting that which is Spirit.......

"Progress, so-called, is leading the multitudes along "the broadway to destruction" ;-(

Yet there is hope for those who have embraced simplicity for they seek to follow The Messiah on "The Narrow Way"!

And they realize Miracles do happen.......

Thankfully so!

About Me

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Robyn Henk, author of B.L.E.S.S.E.D, discovering God’s bigger dream for you, wife of 38 years, mother of six grown children, and grandmother of three. The experience of God’s gracious love and provision in her life has led to her passion of bringing women into deeper intimacy with God, and fuller understanding of God’s love and providence for their lives. She has attended classes in Theology and Christian Ministry at Golden Gate Baptist Seminary, as well as researching The Geographic and Archeological History of the Bible in Israel and Rome, with Azusa Pacific University. Robyn has spoken on three continents and developed and spoke at the Women of Purpose Conference in Kiev, Ukraine; Kitale, Kenya; and to the Lakota and Dine’ First Nations in America. She has also taught Spiritual Disciplines, Parenting, Christian Leadership for Women, and Teaching for Significance clinics.