Live simply and live well

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “The Great Adventure”

Our Bible verse for today: “Mankind, he has told each of you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Live simply and live well”

In yesterday’s devotional I encouraged all of us to strive to “walk worthy” – to live in such a way that we honor the Lord in thought, word, and deed. I also wrote that we can do that just in the normal course of simply living life – at home, at work, in groups or clubs we belong to, and while enjoying our hobbies and recreational activities.

Sometimes we Christians tend to over-spiritualize our understanding of what a Christian life lived well looks like. We think that pastors, missionaries, Christian authors, and musicians – they are the ones who live lives of significance and which are pleasing to the Lord. But that’s a misunderstanding of what it is the Lord is looking for from us.

In Micah 6:8 (above) the prophet reminds us that what God is looking for is regular people who simply do good things as they live their life of faith. The Apostle Paul wrote about this as well in 1 Thessalonians 4:10-12, “But we encourage you, brothers and sisters, to do this even more, to seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your hands, as we commanded you, so that you may behave properly in the presence of outsiders and not be dependent on anyone.”

I have written before about the helpful insight shared by Dr. Denis Prager regarding his own aspirations for his life. As a young man trying to discern his path in life (and long before he became known as “Dr. Prager,” he resolved that whatever he did in life he wanted to be sure it involved influencing people in good ways. Denis Prager went on to become an eminent Old Testament scholar, an expert in Biblical Hebrew, a college professor, and a bestselling author. He did indeed spend his life influencing people in good ways.

That’s a great goal for all of us. Regardless of whatever else you do in life, if you spend every day doing good things for others and influencing people in good ways, all in the name of and for the sake of Jesus Christ, you will have lived a good life.

It is a fine thing to live simply and to live well, just doing good and having a positive influence on people, all for the cause of Christ.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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