It’s interesting when you apply one word to everything. How should I clean my house? Simplify. How do I start on my schedule? Simplify. Easy right? Takes the guesswork out of everything. You begin to apply it to things you often do. Last night, for me, it was bible-study.
I have a regular course of study I follow, but I often flip through my bible and just read randomly. I often feel God nudging me with His words, and I try to apply what I’m learning to my own life. Since my brain is on wondering how to simplifying everything I read these words:
Don’t you realize that you are mine and I’m a part of you? Do you actually think it’s more important to be focusing on what you have, while what I have given you remains a mess? Think about this! Put some thought into what you’re doing!
You spend a lot of time spinning your wheels.
You wonder why you are overweight?
You wonder why you don’t feel right?
You shop for things you don’t need, that have no purpose.
And you don’t save or invest in worthwhile projects, and squander money!
Get up off your booty, work hard, and go get it done so I can take pleasure in how well you maintain what I have blessed you with and so you will be a testimony of a godly life! Did you really think you wouldn’t have to put any effort into this? I gave you this life and all you have and why would I take it away? Because you are so busy with all the other things you think are so important while you yourself are in ruins!
Okay, so that’s not how it was written, but that’s what I heard. Point taken. At least now I know where to start this year.
The real scriptures I read (ESV):
1 Corinthians 3:16 – Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? (Don’t you realize that you are mine and I’m a part of you?)
Haggai 1:4 – Is it time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house [God’s temple] remains a ruin? Do you actually think it’s more important to be focusing on what you have, while what I have given you remains a mess?
Haggai 1:5-6 – Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: Give careful thought to your ways. Think about this! Put some thought into what you’re doing!
You have planted much, but have harvested little. You spend a lot of time spinning your wheels. You eat but never have enough. You wonder why you are overweight? You drink but never have your fill. You wonder why you don’t feel right? You put on clothes but are not warm. You shop for things you don’t need, that have no purpose. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it. And you don’t save or invest in worthwhile projects, and squander money!
Haggai 1:7-9 – Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord. Get up off your booty, work hard, and go get it done so I can take pleasure in how well you maintain what I have blessed you with and so you will be a testimony of a godly life!
You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why? Did you really think you wouldn’t have to put any effort into this? I gave you this life and all you have and why would I take it away?
Declares the Lord Almighty, “Because of my House, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house.” Because you are so busy with all the other things you think are so important while you yourself are in ruins!
Photo by Lauren York on Unsplash
