It's Just That Simple!

I literally filled up on God's word this morning. I think I'll to have to force myself to eat for the first time today (3:00). I just can't seem to work up an appetite. I'm just... satisfied. Yes, you read that correctly. I'm not hungry! This time last year, if I wasn't talking about food, I was eating it! I'm still suffering from other symptoms of the steroids, but thankfully the garbage disposal inside my stomach has taken its leave!

This morning I was watching a show on Netflix that I'm totally sucked into right now. I'm trying to watch it as fast as I can so I can be done with it and stop flooding my brain with filth (it is so past R rated). Yeah, flooding it on overtime doesn't make a whole lot of sense, I realize that. But I just have to see what's going to happen next! Home alone, lying in bed, sucked into this show allowing each curse word to become more and more comfortable to my ears, the enemy had me exactly where he wanted me! We all know that idle hands are the devil's playground and he was toying with me! All of a sudden, "BANG!" A huge thunderstorm came out of nowhere.

Suddenly I realized what was going on and without hesitation, I put down my tablet and picked up my bible. I went to pick up where I left off in Proverbs. Then I started singing one of my favorite hymns. "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus there's just something about that name.." I know this probably all sounds silly. But there's one thing I know for certain: if ever you're scared or feel you're in trouble, just say His name! The bible also instructs us to cling to God and the enemy will flee. So I kept reading.

The rain started coming down like a monsoon which reminded me of the story when Jesus walked on water. So I flipped to John. I read about the disciples being terrified, "yes, this is so me right now!" I thought and the verse right after stated, "But He said to them, 'It is I; don't be afraid.'" Jesus came to comfort them in the middle of their storm, and he came to comfort me in the middle of mine the second that I read this verse.

So I read on. John 6:23 "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you." It filled me with pure joy to read this. Nodding my head and exclaiming, "Yes! Yes, that's right!" It summed up a sermon I heard from my church in Arlington, spoken by my former youth pastor. In which he explained, the majority of us work very hard to finish school, get a degree, and earn a successful career. There's nothing wrong with that, but where is it in the bible to make that our main focus?

We work so gosh darn hard to have nice things and live a comfortable lifestyle, which is what most people would define as "happiness." A nice home, enough money in your pocket so you don't have to worry about little things; things like buying a new outfit for the party this weekend or accepting an invitation to meet your friend for lunch. I know this sounds very familiar to many who are reading this. And don't think for a second you're being accused... I have these desires too! However, I know where peace is found and it's nowhere near those things. When you chase for that so called "happiness," you'll just wind up chasing. The bible describes it perfectly: "A chasing after the wind." Come on, you can't catch the wind! 

Studies have been done that have determine the desires of the average millionaire: they would be comfortable if they just had $7 million. I guarantee if they got that $7 million, they still wouldn't be satisfied! They will either want more money, or "more out of life." This is not what God wants us to pursue. So what is it then?

I kept reading. John 28-29 "Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, the work of God is this: To believe in the one He has sent." Wow. That's it? We spend thousands of dollars on an education, sign our next 30 years away to a mortgage loan, and kill ourselves working for that hefty car payment... and all He requires of us is explained in one sentence? Yes!! It is that simple! It gets better...

John 6:23 "Then Jesus declared, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty."

John 6:40 "For my father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and will raise Him up at the last day."

A paragraph. The answer to life's most meaningful question is answered in a paragraph. Standing in awe of my salvation once again, with tears in my eyes, I prayed, "God, thank you! It really is that simple! I guess our little pea brains can't really handle much more than that!"To have eternal life, you don't have say a bunch of Hail Mary's, or make sure that you're in church on every Christmas and Easter. You don't even have to be "a good person." Isaiah 64:6 God says our works are like filthy rags! All you have to do is believe that He loved you so much, that He sent the best thing He had to offer, to come humbly to this Earth that He created, and die for you. 

Time for my pop tart :)

Want to know more about this? 1 John talks all about salvation. And the book of Ecclesiastes explains in the the uselessness of all of that "chasing." ;)