DEVOTION - SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

DEVOTION, SUNDAY,  SEPTEMBER  2, 2012

KEEP IT SIMPLE

BY

DR ED YOUNG

There's a move toward simplicity afoot. Have you noticed? Books and articles on paring down your lifestyle and streamlining your schedule abound. It's becoming popular again for mothers of young children to stay at home rather than return to work. But is it possible to simplify your beliefs about God? How simple is a relationship with the living God?

A professor of theology and a professor of astronomy were seated next to each other at a university function. They had little respect for one another's respective fields of study, and were often at odds. The astronomy professor turned to the professor of theology and said loudly enough for everyone at the table to hear, "You know, the whole concept of Christianity can be boiled down to the golden rule, can't it? Isn't that all there is to it?" The professor of theology nodded in agreement, and said, "I guess that's right. Just like the precepts of astronomy can be summed up by saying, ‘Twinkle, twinkle, little star.'"

While complete knowledge of God is beyond our human comprehension, the Christian life is actually quite simple. When a man makes up his mind that God is sovereign, that Jesus is his Savior, and that the Bible is his authority, life gets very simple indeed. The closer he draws to God, the less confusing life is, while the farther he moves away from Him, the more complex his situation becomes. When it comes to living the Christian life, less is more. Keep it simple.