Reading this chapter was such an encouraging chapter and reminder; yet at the same time, it was so convicting. I am currently on Easter Break up in Washington with a dear friend and it has been such a rejuvenating and refreshing time. Time to walk, to think, to pray, to commune with God...which has provided for an immense amount of reflection time. Through this time, the Lord has really revealed to me that I have not been living simply. (Praise the Lord for revealing this to me!) I am filling my free time which I have decided we all have with things of the world. And it seems silly, but I would totally fill my time with watching a movie over spending quality time with God...even when I knew God was calling me to Him. Being up here with one of my closest friends in an new apartment with no furniture, no car, no distractions has reminded me to the simple lifestyle...and this kicked my butt...and then it was reiterated for me (funny how the Lord works) on the last page of the chapter, page 316, where the Lord has called me to live a simple lifestyle, "if we are engaged to the Lamb, the the call to discipleship is a call to simplicity." Bazinga...I am not doing this. Yes, I am involved in many things, but that is actually for once not what he is calling me and convicting me of; rather, it is with my spare time...am I using it well...no. I am filling it with meaningless and frivolous things. I have been able to just bask in the glory of God up here. There are flowers everywhere (and for those of you know do not know me...flowers are a love language to me), the neighborhoods are charming, and the air is brisk and clear. Living simply. I have been forsaking simplicity in Christ with the world.
In other news...and it will come full circle...I am so thankful for friends who really engage and care in my relationship with Christ. The conversations have been such a blessing and so glorifying to Christ. It was funny because one of the conversations I had a few days ago before reading this chapter, was about the simplicity of life that she has experienced since being engaged, and actually in love. FULL CIRCLE PEOPLE! Loving Christ, doing whatever it is to see your loved one (Christ), is what matters...and that simplifies things. WOW! I laugh at this because it is not new...and yet today and this month it was news to me. As I was reading about Babylon, I was thinking about all of those ways in which I daily fight Satan as he is trying to persuade me to be of the world, and I praise the Lord for those but I also entered with a repentant heart over the ways in which I have been forsaking Christ. It is all about HIM. It is all about me preparing myself for Him. It is all about dying to self. It is all about singing praises to Him, screaming "Hallelu Yah" to Him. I have been so encouraged to celebrate in the great deliverance won through the blood of the lamb. HE HAS WON...and he CONTINUES to win. Satan cannot stop Him. Evil will fail, it does fail. Sin will be trumped with Christ's love... "evil is overcome only one way- by the power of sacrificial goodness." (162). "The cross is not only the ground of our salvation. It is also the pattern of our salvation, the way of all salvation" (160).
Lord, forgive me for forsaking you again. Thank you for your grace. Please continue to remind me of your love, of how simple it is with you. Thank you God for sending your Son to die on the cross for me today, and for having Him be risen from the dead...for me. I praise you for your faithfulness to me. Please help remind me of living a simple lifestyle, that I am yours...I am engaged with you.
come home... i miss you! (just kidding, i love that you're there.) so glad you've had some time to rest and reflect, cass. i like the processing and i look forward to doing more of it when you get back. also glad for that "severe mercy" that Jesus offers us in conviction.
ReplyDeleteI feel like one of my favorite things in the world is when stuff comes full-circle. I love interconnectedness and I'm pretty much addicted to the cross-references in my Bible (to a fault sometimes). But I feel like it's such a testament to how BIG He is when everything ties together like that.
ReplyDeleteSimple! YEAH! I love it Cassidy! When you spoke about Babalon it reminded me of how much the world we live in looks like this today (has looked like this for quite some time I guess:) And that does force me to my knees in crying out to our Lord! How so many are in love with the world, Father continue to reveal yourself!
ReplyDeleteI firmly believe that coming full circle happens not only through contemplation but through REVELATION :). Your post is a challenge to me to consider that perhaps contemplation (simplicity and quiet) helps posture our hearts, ears, eyes, nose, and skin to sensing His Revelation.
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