Profoundly Simple...

Quite often I suppose myself capable of uttering some astoundingly profound insight that will stun and then mobilize people into a new and deep relationship with their Creator/Redeemer.

The root of my pipe dreams is, of course, my desire for acceptance and acclaim, both from my fellow-man and from God. In other words, such desires are (in me, at least) self-centered and self serving.

The Bible is wonderful in its ability to dispel my nonsensical desires by displaying some of its richest profundities in the simplicity of its examples. These come to mind:

• The very first commandment that God gave to mankind (Genesis 2:17).
• The commission of the first sin (Genesis 3:6)
• The Name by which God tells Moses to identify Him to the people of Israel (Exodus 3:13-14).
• The means Elisha the prophet prescribes for the healing of Naaman's leprosy (2 Kings 5:10-15)
• The hunger of Mary, sister of Lazarus, to learn from Jesus (Luke 10:39, 42), and the faith (John 11:21-24) of their sister Martha and her confession (v.27).
• The prayer of the repentant tax collector (Luke 18:13).
• The request of the desperate father of a possessed child (Mark 9:24).
• The faith and joy of the servant of Queen Candace of Ethiopia (Acts 8:35-39).
• The question of the prison keeper at Philippi (Acts 16:30) and the answer Paul and Silas gave him (v.31).
• The ever-present, ever valid, ever powerful invitation of Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:28-30).

Above all (for me), there is the simplicity that God doesn't need my counsel or assistance to get done what He means to do; but God's work is God's work (Ephesians 1:11b; Matthew 16:17; Romans 10:17; Luke 8:8b), in which I am unduly and immeasurably privileged to be allowed a part (Matthew 28:18-20; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 2:12-13).

Life can seem incredibly complex, appearing to demand knotty, tortuous solutions. The need at such times is not migraine-inducing brain-strain, but simple prayer; an uncomplicated conversation with God. More on this later. Meanwhile, try it. God has said, "Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:12-13)