Less.
It's something I tend to seek out with intentionality. In a world that proclaims MORE at every turn (more stuff, more money, more me, more.....you name it, just get MORE!), there is good reason to strive for less in the ways that Jesus addressed.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal."
Matthew 6:19
I can honestly say that less, in this way, to me is actually more. The Lord has increased my desire for less of what this world has to offer as He has consumed my heart and satisfied me to full with more of Himself. He's my kind of more.
Less.
It's something I want more of...and yet, in recent months, the Lord has been stirring, causing the eyes of my heart to refocus on something infinitely more. He's been on the move, revealing even more of what pleases Him, revealing even more of what devotion to Him produces, revealing even more of what He's asking our family to pursue. It's clear He's calling for more and we're attentive.
“Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
if you pour yourself out for the hungry
and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
and your gloom be as the noonday.
And the Lord will guide you continually
and satisfy your desire in scorched places
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
the restorer of streets to dwell in."
to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
if you pour yourself out for the hungry
and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
and your gloom be as the noonday.
And the Lord will guide you continually
and satisfy your desire in scorched places
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
the restorer of streets to dwell in."
Isaiah 58:6-12
Indeed there's been a stirring (jolting?) and it's really hard to look away. We just don't live like that.
When Jesus beckons for more, the compelling response from those who love Him is...obedience.
The only response of genuine, action-producing faith is...more.
It's ironical, the way this relationship with Jesus works. The more He increases, the more we decrease. The more we decrease, the more He increases to the point of spilling over and it's really uncontainable actually as He ushers us into His versions and variances of more.
It's inevitably expanding and fruitful to be malleable in the Potter's hands.
It's inevitably expanding and fruitful to be malleable in the Potter's hands.
"Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control,
and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection,
and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from
being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection,
and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from
being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
2 Peter 1:5-8
As our knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ increases and our love for Him all the more, we bear fruit which keeps in step with the Spirit.
"If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit."
Galatians 5:25
Our hearts beat for the things that God's heart beats for.
Our hearts break for the things that God's heart breaks for.
{This is our faith...expressed...through both less and more.}
"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them,
'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness'—and he was called a friend of God.
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead."
If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them,
'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness'—and he was called a friend of God.
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead."
James 2:14-24, 26
