I promised your hand in marriage to Christ, presented you as a pure virgin to her husband. And now I’m afraid that exactly as the Snake seduced Eve with his smooth tongue, you are being lured away from the simple purity of your love for Christ. -2 Corinthians 11:3 MSG
As thoughts inundated my mind, I asked God what I should write about, and I saw a chocolate chip cookie, much to my amazement!
Naturally, we complicate things because we are competitive people, but simplicity is all-important for our spiritual and mental health. Whether a nutritional enthusiast or not as health conscious as we should be, a chocolate chip cookie brightens the darkest days. A cookie makes a difference when we're stressed and at the end of our rope! I believe God is calling us back to simplicity in life. We have become too technical and sophisticated, and as a result, squeezed the fun out of life and relationships. This is also why our lives may have so much dissatisfaction, resentment, and confusion. Ever wondered how much fun bible study would be if we made it fun by incorporating bible trivia, surprising our colleagues with donuts or bagels, and not going to God in prayer with a long "honey-do” list but simply to enjoy His company?
"I believe God is calling us back to simplicity in life."
The disciple John would lean on ABBA Father's chest and listen to His heartbeat. Mary, a once notorious "sinner," would sit at the feet of Jesus, listening to His teachings and giving Him her undivided attention. No wonder Jesus took the opportunity to visit their home in Bethany whenever He was in the community. Amidst life’s frustrations and responsibilities, let’s start having fun again. Conversations with spouses would improve if we learned to incorporate a little fun in our marriages (but it needs to be something enjoyable for both parties involved)! God truly loves and enjoys us!
Don’t be afraid. Dear Zion, don’t despair. Your God is present among you, a strong Warrior there to save you. Happy to have you back, He’ll calm you with His love and delight you with His songs. -Zephaniah 3:16-17
Though I cannot find a scripture to corroborate this train of thought, I'm confident Jesus had fun with His disciples. Whether it was swimming, dancing, pranks, or cracking jokes on each other, boys will be boys! These men wouldn't have sacrificed their familiarity and walked with Him when everyone else vacated Him (John 6) if there wasn’t fun involved.
Didn't the bible say, "God's kingdom isn't a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness' sake? It's what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy." Absolutely NO relationship can survive without it (not that they end in divorce, but estrangement is more common). Even during instructional periods, try speaking the truth in love instead of pontificating and being quick to point out stuff we don't like about another.
Mary Poppins was on to something when she said, "just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down." Thank God for His loving personality. However, sometimes we must get down to serious business, and some matters must be dealt with head-on & directly but… for the most part, keep it light and straightforward, and have a cookie!
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