Today was definitely one of the best days I've had in a long time. It wasn't that any one great thing happened, but rather a collection of things that made it an overwhelmingly wonderful experience. Like any other Saturday, it started with my daughter waking me up so she could have some breakfast, I could have some coffee and mommy could sleep some more. For whatever reason it just continued to be a day of simple pleasures.
While my daughter ate her breakfast, I had some coffee and watched an episode of one of my shows. Soon after, my wife was awake and we decided to enjoy the nice weather in our backyard. I was walking around with my daughter, pushing her around in her car and watching her pretend sticks were swords with her saying, "on guard!" My wife decided she was going to paint a table we have out on our deck and I somehow ended up whittling a stick into a pipe. Why a pipe I have no idea, but it was just the first thing that came to me. We then came inside and had some lunch (well, most of us) and then I was on the couch again watching a documentary based on the book The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel while my daughter attempted to take a nap.
Aside from it taking nearly an hour for my daughter to fall asleep along with a lot of fussing, whining and "go to beds" I was able to watch this documentary and begin to examine the condition of my own faith. Although my awareness of where I am spiritually hasn't failed, my concern for it has. I have become caught up in a season of just not caring because there are so many other things that require my attention that my focus is no longer on God. Instead of seeing my life through His eyes, I am simply seeing the multitude of things in my life that, without God, seem to be too much to take on.
I guess today was a realization that simplicity does still exist, but we have to want it and just do it. Even more so everything in life can be simplified when we don't just take it all on ourselves to get through. Why is it so easy to forget the words that God gives us to help us in a world full of confusion, busyness, and the unrelenting demands that we put on ourselves. Matthew 11:29-30 states: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
I think there's more to this passage than what we often think. It is not Christ saying follow me and you'll have it easy. I believe the key is that He says to learn from Him. Take upon ourselves the character of Christ and learn from Him. When we learn from Him and understand how to tackle the demands and trials of life through Him, we will find rest. Perhaps this is just one of the many ways in which we can recognize our need for Christ. In John 16:33b Christ tell us that "in this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." Here Christ shows us that we won't be without the hardships of life, but in Him we can find rest because He has overcome them.
It would be impossible for me to express how often I forget to simply turn to Jesus and allow Him to come in. If I simply ask for His help, He is right there with me fighting the battles with me. How incredible it is to know that we have a savior who, even after making the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, is still willing and desiring to fight with us and for us each and every step of the way. We make our lives so complicated, but simplicity is found in daily reaching out and grabbing hold to God's hand and letting Him show us that we will make it through.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
The amazing day that I had concluded spending some time with my in-laws watching the Thunder beat the Lakers and then reflecting on the day which led me to this post. I can't wait to see the amazing things that God has in store for for me and my family. God is good all the time. All the time, God is good.
