Keep it Simple

I love the magazine "Real Simple" mostly because it give really practical ideas about running a household, organizing your life, recipes and entertaining. To be honest with you - life is complicated enough as it is if there is a product out there or an idea to make my life easier I'm all for it. Now I also have to confess though, most of the time I end up just reading about how to make my life simpler but never really make the changes. Sure there are 10 easy steps to organizing my pantry but the 10 minutes I had to actually organize my pantry I choose to read the magazine instead of actually doing it. At this moment though, my house is in total chaos we have been having new bamboo hardwood floors installed and all of my furniture for my living room, family room, kitchen, dining room are scattered throughout the house while they work on the floors and everything that normally gets stored in those things is shoved in every other corner left. So I'm determined, nothing gets put back unless it's organized.

But I think there is a lot about life we would like to make real simple. We pay bills online so we can get rid of the clutter of paper that arrives at our homes. We have smart phones with apps to keep track of all of the important things that need to be remembered. We look for ways to manage life easier because so much of life can be overwhelming and demanding.

My congregation this fall is looking at how to make our faith lives a little simpler. We've just kicked off our theme of "Keep It Simple, Saint" or "KISS". Whether it's because the rest of our lives are so complicated or because it's just hard to believe but we tend to make our faith something that is so full of rules or requirements that it's hard to understand or even believe and yet that is so far from the intention God has for us. Ever wonder why John 3:16 has become one of the most recognizable scripture verses? Ever wondered why? I think it's pretty simple because it's simple.

It is our faith in a nut shell. For all the books on theology or the doctrines of the church this simple passage "For God so loved the world" says it all. We believe in a God that loves us - loves us enough to die for us - loves us enough to give us the gift of grace and mercy - loves us enough that nothing we will ever do will take that love away. God loves us. Loves you. Loves me. There is no and, ifs or buts about it. Just simple love.

It's that simple, that as children of God we are loved. No matter what chaos is going on in our lives we have the sure and certain knowledge that no matter what, we are loved.

It's that simple.

Full of grace...just not very graceful,
Pastor Jill