Good morning! It’s the weekend! I look forward to time off where I can be refreshed, refueled, and spend quality time with the beautiful family that God has blessed me with! Sometimes throughout the week I can begin to feel overwhelmed because of the amount of tasks that need to be completed. And not only that but the complexity of the tasks.
Have you ever tried to start a project but because of the amount of work it would take in areas you are not completely confident in, you find it difficult to even get started.
Let me give you a for instance… When I moved into my house a LONG time ago, I was so determined to finish the basement. It was cleared out for the most part and just needed to be put back together. We went to the local home improvement store to gather what we needed and invited people over who actually knew what they were doing (unlike me LOL) [By the way, Josh makes fun of me for my big LOLs].
The basement was coming along great; the electric, lights, tile work in the laundry area, sheetrock on the walls, and my brother even brought a paint sprayer to paint the ceiling. Then because of the busyness of life and my lack of confidence in knowing how to do certain things, the progress began to slow down.
We are not a very big family and don’t really need the space to hang out in, but it is a nice bonus area in the house. Eventually, family members came over to help finish the sheetrock and spackle, and my amazing wife painted the walls.
The funny thing is, when it comes to electrical tasks, cable issues, and television mounting, I have no problem getting started because I know exactly what to do and what I need to get it done. But when it comes to installing flooring, molding, doors, and other things, I have a hard time getting started because I don’t want to make any mistakes.
For some people (including me at times), the Bible is an overwhelming ‘project’. There are so many names of people and towns that I am not familiar with, metaphors and allegories that I don’t understand, and pages upon pages of information.
It is hard to get started because I am not confident that I am going to be able to accomplish anything that is written in it. Well, if this is you this morning, I have GREAT news for you! I am going to simplify the Bible in the most simplest of forms so that there is no excuse to not get started!
When Jesus was being debated with by the Pharisees, something they did on the regular, one of them (an expert in Jewish law) tested Him with this question – “Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:37-40
Dare I say, it doesn’t get any more simple than this! If you are having trouble getting started, begin here! Love God – prioritize Him, be devoted to Him, and make a commitment to know and understand the truth in His Word. It is not about us – it’s ALL about Him!
We are not perfect and never will be here on earth, but thankfully God has provided the ultimate sacrifice through His Son, Jesus, for us to be in right standing with Him! It’s not about us being perfect, it’s about us giving God our best!
And the second commandment Jesus mentioned – Love People! This one tends to be more difficult. Loving God for most people is easier than loving people – God is perfect, people are not! People have messy lives, make lots of mistakes, and hurt each other in the process.
I have found that the more I focus on loving God, the easier it becomes for me to love people! When our focus is on loving God, our lives will BE TRANSFORMED to look more like Him. When this happens, we will begin to experience love and compassion for others like never before. Our heart, soul, and mind will be aligned with God’s and the people around us will reap the benefit!
So this morning as you sit down to read the Word of God, don’t be overwhelmed! There are many complex things in His Word that He will reveal to us through time – but for today – Love God and Love People!
Heavenly Father, thank You for simplifying Your Word for us this morning! You don’t call us to be perfect, You ask us to come as we are! When we prioritize You in our lives and stay committed to knowing Your will and truth, the Holy Spirit will simplify Your Word and help us to understand. Help us to take Your Word and apply it to our lives! Help us love You first and with Your help, love the people You put in our path each day! In Jesus Name – AMEN!
Be Transformed 