The Simple-hearted

I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the name of the LORD: “O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!” Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; our God is merciful. The LORD preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me. (Psalm 116:1-6 ESV). “Childlike faith” can be translated “simple-hearted.” That’s me! As I was thinking about this morning’s devotional I was looking for a place I fit in and here it is: simple-hearted. I can identify with that! It seems to go in cycles, but occasionally I will get a wave of Morning Devotional replies criticizing me for spelling, grammar, or punctuation. They are all legitimate complaints. Even though I use spelling and grammar checker, I am not very good at producing an error free product. I am certainly an imperfect typist and my command of the English language seems to have grown weaker not stronger over the years. I guess the reason these simple thoughts for your day have been successful is because they are just that: simple thoughts. They are put together by a simple mind, which views life rather simply. Oh, I have a formal education, when I look at God, I don’t look at Him as complicated. Yes, He is deeper than I can imagine. Yes, He is more complex than I could ever figure out. Yes, there is so much more for me to learn about Him and all His ways that I’m not sure I will ever figure Him out. But, His love is never complicated. He meets me at my point of need and He communicates with me on my level. He doesn’t expect me to know all about Him in order for me to speak about Him. In my lifetime of searching for Him, I seem to have at least one thing understood. God is more interested in my desire to know Him, than He is my accumulation of knowledge about Him. That’s good to know. It’s a comfort actually, because I have a great desire to know Him. Simple, yes, but strong just as well. Today would be a good day to ask yourself about your desire. Do you desire to know Him, or just know about Him? There is a great difference between those two positions. One brings a relationship that can never be severed. The other merely brings knowledge. Focus your desire on knowing Him today!