“The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me” (Psalm 116:6).
THE SIMPLE
We read about the garden of Eden and perceive a simple lifestyle for Adam. As time went on he fell and lost the peace, comfort and blessings found in the garden. The Scriptures teach us where we can retrieve that simplicity once more.
Taking one step at a time helps to keep life simple. “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace” (1 Cor 14:33).
Our enemy wants to bring confusion and a tangled web into our lives, as he did the man and woman in the Garden, but the Lord teaches us to live one day at a time. We bring our steps to him each day, asking for guidance and quiet trust and confidence in God helps us move forward because the Lord will work with us.
In our simplicity we are saved by the Lord from numerous trials. He notices those who have simple trust and compensates them with his goodness when we are “brought low”.
“In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength” (Isa 30:15). Simple trust works well and those who have it find that God is always there by their side his wonder to perform.
CS Lewis said, “It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day. Standing back from all your natural fussings and frettings; coming in out of the wind”.
Yes, that’s the way forward for those who have faith in Christ. We do not rely on worldly craft, or subtle shiftiness but simple trust in God. For “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way” (Ps 37:23).
There’s so much merit in being simple, why complicate matters? We live by faith and walk in trust, that’s the way the Lord planned for us to live.
Jesus kept that simple trust in his Father: “the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ‘All this I will give you,’ he said” (Matt 4:8). But Jesus could not take up the devil’s offer, nor should we, if getting rich means cheating, stealing and conniving then we are better off without worldly riches.
“Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” (1 Tim 6:9).
“The worldly wise with all their prudence shall be taken in their own craftiness, but those who walk in their integrity with single minded truthfulness before God shall be protected against the wiles of their enemies” (CH Spurgeon).
Yes, simplicity is the way forward for “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matt 5:5).