Nothing in life is ever simple! Actually I don’t believe that – the laughter of friends is simple; the pancakes, maple syrup and pineapple I’ve just scoffed was a simple dessert; the needs of our cat, Gizmo are simple – food, cuddles, warmth, and the door opened to let him in/out/in/out ad nauseam; ordering yet another book from the US is far too simple – one click ordering is subversive of all budgets…if your clicking finger offends you, cut it off…..might just about be a contemporary warning; and yes, the Gospel is simple….eh, well, haud oan a meenit, Jim!
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When I say the Gospel is simple I don’t mean doesn’t need any thought; I don’t mean come to Jesus and get all your problems solved, simple; I don’t mean following Jesus faithfully today is as simple as saying the sinner’s prayer; and I don’t mean the Gospel of God’s baffling, extravagant, welcoming, forgiving, transforming, heart breaking and heart-mending love can be reduced to a praise song, pure and simple.
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But I do mean that reduced to the bare essentials God’s love is most clearly recognised in Jesus Christ; I do mean that no one needs a portfolio of achievements, a cluster of transferable skills, or any of the other image building paraphernalia that fills the usual impressive curriculum vitae, to get an interview with God; and yes, theological educator that I am, I do mean that to know the love of God in Christ that surpasses knowledge is the most important educational goal of our lives, and quite simply, the only qualification that ultimately matters. At which point the Gospel is no longer simply simple – it is simply incomprehensible.
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The wonderfully eccentric people called the Shakers, who were also concentric when it comes to community and God, have a beautiful little song, ‘Tis a gift to be simple, ’tis a gift to be free….’ I’ll blog a couple of times in the next week about these remarkable people, who believed everything in life is simply gift. Their furniture is made with loving craft, simple design, and a view to the beauty of usefulness. It expresses the meaning of home, togetherness, the dance of life shared with God. The last communities are now dying out, but their commitment to simple life, community love and worship as the community choreographed in dance and co-ordinated in love, remains deeply, subversively and simply, prophetic. Every now and again I need to hear their quiet defiant advice, ‘Tis a gift to be simple, tis a gift to be free….’
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A while ago I copied out some words from a Journal article – and I didn’t keep the reference for it – but now and again, reading it I’m reminded of how in my life ( and, I suspect, in yours) things take on an ‘inordinate complexity’. Then to ‘flee to the Beloved, is to know ourselves loved, is to learn again the simple truth, the Gospel truth – God is love.
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When in doubt and confusion,
call in the scholars
and they will fill your minds
with such inordinate complexity
that you flee to the Beloved
and take refuge in Simplicity
as the only solution.
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