Dear Church of the Open Bible,
Life is not complicated. My oldest two kids are finishing their final exams for the year, wading through mathematical equations and theoretical problems. But when it comes to life, that’s not what most of it is made up of. Life is not easy. It’s full of choices, many of which are difficult. But most of those choices are simple. We need to eat. We need to drink. We need shelter. We need relationship. Meeting these needs can be difficult but these are the simple realities we all face. I’m reminded of this because we can tend to over-complicate another need in our lives: a relationship with God.
Listening to and talking with are the simple aspects of any relationship. It’s not the attention-grabbing, clickbait we’re used to seeing but it’s so essential it’s worth repeating over and over. When Luke presents us with the need to “love the Lord your God” with our whole lives (10:27), how does he go on to describe that in the following verses? Firstly, by listening to God’s word through Jesus (10:38-42) and secondly, by talking with God in prayer (11:1-13). None of this is theologically complex or novel, but it is difficult. It’s difficult because it is relying on God and denying ourselves. Take the simple but important truth of listening to God.
And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. - Deuteronomy 8:3
In Luke 10:39, Mary was eating food that nourished her soul. She had chosen what was necessary: living by God’s word through Jesus. Each of us have that meal available to us, waiting for us. If you’re like me, I can be quicker at times to open my browser than my Bible, but that’s a poor trade. Because of our flesh, choosing this good portion is difficult but it’s not complicated. May God give us grace to be disciplined and dependent in the simple needs of life.