My 90 year-old father gave us these beautiful Easter Lilies yesterday. He had won them at a drawing at the retirement community where he lives. Their sweet fragrance filled our Honda as I drove home last night, with the potted lilies in the back seat. They are very intricately made by our Creator, and yet, there is such a simplicity about them. Quietly opening up in bloom, and spreading fragrance to those nearby without even a sound.
This morning as I picked up My Utmost for His Highest to quickly read today's words before I did my exercises, my mind was drawn to that word again ... simplicity.
"Our Lord must be repeatedly astounded at us - astounded at how "un-simple" we are." (My Utmost for His Highest)
It is so easy to make this keeping company with God into a complicated thing. But it really is so simple; so simple that we miss it at times. Just as we keep in close connection with those we love here on this earth, so we can keep in close connection with our Creator, our God. He has made the way for us. But we are the ones who can make it a difficult thing. And I am one who needs to learn this over and over again.
Nurturing our earthly relationships takes time, takes a concentrated effort in our busyness to stay connected ... but it is quite simple, really. A text, an email, a phone call, a time to talk heart-to-heart. The only roadblock to this nurturing is our busyness and our lack of taking time. And it is the same in our relationship with our Maker. It is not out-of-reach. Jesus opened up the way by His sacrificial death and His resurrection ... He did the work, the agonizing work, and we need to just make room in our hearts and take time in our days to keep company with Him. But sometimes the simple things become the hardest things to do.
We need to put on simplicity ... simply connecting, listening, and walking together. Taking Him at His Word, reading His Words, walking in the Truth of His Words ...
"I have told you these things so that
you will be filled with My joy.
Yes, your joy will overflow!"
(John 15:11)
Lord, help me to walk in simplicity, keeping in step with Your Spirit within, listening, walking with You each day, moment-by-moment. Slow us down so we can really live ...
Linked to Imperfect Prose
"It is so easy to make this keeping company with God into a complicated thing."
ReplyDeleteAmen. Well said.
Oh friend, I've missed you. We're just back and yes, must unpack, but happy to visit and be in your sweet place. Thanks for the reminders so full of Him...staying connected like Jesus Calling talks about...in these weeks of travel and all disrupted I am so thankful He IS closer than our next breath! Blessings:)
ReplyDeletei really, really needed this today. i got a lily tattooed onto my wrist for this very purpose: to remember he cares for such as these, to remember to live simply, yet for some reason i keep forgetting to look at my wrist. :) you made it so clear for me tonight. thank you, sister.
ReplyDeleteOk, before I even read your post I have to tell you that I stopped and just gazed at your header when your blog loaded. I found myself thinking how beautiful the simplicity of that header is (and how no matter how much I like it I just can't seem to be that sparsely elegant.) When I scrolled down and read the title of your post. :) Ok. Now I shall read.
ReplyDeletetake time in our days to keep company with Him.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this. I used to do this all the time, but then I got hurt, and I stopped trusting some and retreated from Him. I need to simply reach my hand back out and invite Him into my day, like I am right now, and enjoy His company. Thank you for telling some wonderfully plain truth.