Simple

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We serve a Savior Who chose a stable for His birthplace,

A God Who preferred the company of Fisherman to that of Pharisees,

A Lord Who advised the rich young ruler,

not to follow hundreds of laws,

but instead, said simply, "Follow Me."

When offered a thousand rams, ten thousand rivers of oil, even His followers' first born in some twisted attempt to procure His favor,

He gently redirected their well-meaning but misguided efforts with the simple dictum,

Just Do Justly,

And Love Mercy,

And Walk Humbly With Your God.

There is no song and dance necessary to secure your salvation,

No hoops to jump through

that will make Him love you more

Jesus died an agonizing death

to forever join your heart to Heaven's,

He did the hard part

So you could keep it Simple.

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"My yoke is easy, My burden is light."

-Jesus

Stable

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God has a thing for stables

The frills seem lost on Him

The fancy-schmancy doesn't seem to float His boat

We have a God

Who digs

Raw and Real

Who would rather be up to His elbows

in the nitty-gritty of our lives,

than to have the wrapped-up-pretty version

we so often offer,

the one that obscures the Gift inside,

the complicated-messy-conundrum He's so crazy about.

He wants your Voice,

not your script

He wants your Heart

not an Excel spread sheet

He wants to confide

without having to cushion and clean it up

He wants to sit in silence

with one who hears anyway

When given the choice

between homogenized and humble

between white-washed and weathered

between the insulation of the inn

and the blood and sweat of the stable,

We have a God Who chooses the Stable,

Every time.

Who makes Himself at home there,

So we can make ourselves at home in Heaven.

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"For now I have chosen and set apart this house, that my name may be there forever; 

My attention and my concern will be there always."

-2 Chronicles 7:16

Yet

"...Although my house is not so with God, 

Yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant,

Ordered in ALL things and Secure."

-2 Samuel 23:5

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Yet

The Game Changing Word

The Difference between

serving The Living God

and any other god

This tiny word

contains the entire gospel,

contains All the Amazing Grace

we will ever need

Our Soundness,

Our Salvation,

Our Second and Forty-Second Chances

are Sealed and Secure,

 we are Covered and Kept,

Not because we so perfectly keep our promises,

But because He Always 

Always,

Always

Keeps His.

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"...This is All my Salvation,

and all my desire."

-2 Samuel 23:5