Simplicity

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. -
Matthew 11:28

That is such a simple statement. Last night, I had the honor of hearing Bishop Otis Clark, 107 years old, preach that simple message. He spoke it in such faith. I was swept away by the simplicity of the gospel that he preached. God is love, the law brings bondage, Jesus gives us rest and freedom, faith pleases God, and the devil can go to hell.

Why do we make it all so difficult? The gospel is truly simple. It’s always been that simplicity that has had the greatest impact on me. As a child, I sang “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so,” and believed it with all my heart. I have always believed it. Around that same time, my sister Debbie told me that I did not have to be afraid of the dark because Jesus was always with me. I believed that, too. I was still afraid of the dark, but I could bear it because I knew that the Jesus who loved me was with me in that dark. He became my Savior. I accepted His love and constant companionship with the faith of a child and those two truths became the foundation for my life. There were times that those two things were all I knew, all I had, all I could count on. It was enough. I am alive today because of those two simple truths. In the darkest dark, when I was on the very brink of taking my own life, His presence and His love stopped me. He saved me. He is so wonderful.

Years later, my husband, sons and I walked into our first church service together. Rick and I were world-weary and worn out. A very precious man preached about God’s love and how He would never leave us nor forsake us. I remember how my heart leaped when I heard what I knew to be true. The pastor had my attention. Then he talked about Jesus giving us rest and peace. What? Rest and peace? No one ever told me I could have that. Rest and peace were the very things that I so desperately needed and desired. How simple – rest and peace come from Jesus. The simplicity of that message captured my heart. Ever since that day, I have purposed to follow the Lord and learn His Word.

Think about the simplicity of His Word:

Fear not. Believe only.

Abide in Me.

Peace I leave with you.

Ask and it shall be given unto you.

Repent.

God is love.

Love God.

Love one another.

Love never fails.

These things are only hard because we make them so. We want to have our cake and eat it too. We want the things of God. We desire His blessings and His favor. But we want to do things our own way, too. We bargain. We try to hold on to the things that displease God and balance it with good works or good intentions. This is what makes it so hard. But, when we are faced with the gospel in its simplest, purest form, and we receive it with the faith of a child, clarity comes. Rest and peace come. We are filled with His love and enfolded by His presence.

The simplicity of the gospel came to Empowering Life Church last night. It was followed by an atmosphere of love, unity, peace and power. We were changed. The Lord showed me amazing things. I can’t even think about it without tears. He is coming. He is bringing His Glory into the earth in a greater measure than ever before in order to adorn His bride. Then, He is coming to take her home. Church, we must prepare ourselves for His adornment, His Glory. What does a bride do before she dresses for her wedding? She bathes. She cleanses herself. She prepares herself for her bridegroom. Our bridegroom loves us so completely and so desperately. His Glory is prepared. It is ready and He is waiting to clothe us in it. Why would we keep Him waiting?