Caged Bird Sings Out SEPTEMBER 2015●
“Live Simply”
by Laura Kestly
Live Simply, Live Simply
the words shoot through my mind
I make things more complex than needed
This chaotic world that’s confined to time
easily tricks & tries to deceive me
Whenever I find myself out of control
I remember the more excellent choice
To rest in a place where true peace can be found
to be still and to hear the Lord’s voice
He reminds me this place is just temporary
my eternal home lies far above
Then the peace of God guards my heart & my mind
in His Son full of mercy and love
I rejoice and am grateful for all God has given
in wisdom and power & grace
I can live simply today in this moment and time
When I seek and behold His bright face.
The 3 “R’s”
As September enters and school is back in session, three ‘Rs’ come to mind (& not just Reading, Writing & Arithmetic).
I’ve come to realize that to have peace in this complex world, the three ‘Rs’ that should be fundamental in our lives are:
Rely, Rest & Rejoice.
- Rely: Better to rely, not on ourselves, but on God who raises the dead (2 Cor. 1:9). It is better to rely & take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man (Prov. 29:25; Ps. 118:8). Even bad news won’t cause fear when there is a firm trust in the Lord (Ps. 112:7)
- Rest: We were created to “live, move & have our being in Him” (Acts 17:28). When we are ‘in Him’ (and not ‘in the world’) we can be at rest. Even if the earth gives way and the mountains are moved into the sea… we can be still and know that He is God and that He is with us and is our fortress (Ps. 46). When we prayerfully give (all) our requests to God and trust Him with (all) our concerns and anxieties, He gives us a peace & rest that passes all understanding as He guards our hearts & minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:5-7).
- Rejoice: When we rely on Him (& not on our self) we are able to rest in Him and this causes us to rejoice. There are too many gloomy and depressed Christians walking around today. They most likely have missed the first 2 fundamental ‘Rs’ so have not been able to get to the 3rd one–Rejoice. David could exult when He trusted in the Lord and found Him to be his strength & shield even though he felt on the verge of going into the pit (Ps. 28, 28:7). Paul, who wrote of rejoicing while imprisoned, could only do so because of his deep reliance on the Lord (Philippians: 2:17, 3:1, 4:4, 10 + many more).
Some trust in chariots and some in horses (and some in their “smart” phones, human critics, polls, what’s trending…) but let’s trust in the name of the Lord our God for in Him we will be able to live a peaceful, simple life that we can rejoice in amidst chaos, evil and suffering because we see the things above, the invisible, eternal things and we hear His still small voice (Ps. 20:7; Col. 3:1-3; 2 Cor. 4:16-18; 1 Kings 19:12).
Relying, Resting & Rejoicing in Him, Laura
Caged Bird Sings 