William D. Watkins: Why choose simplicity?

“Simplicity helps us see what has eternal value and what does not, what we dare not live without and what we must let loose from our hands. When learned and practiced well, simplicity gives us the gift of peace and contentment whether life shows us with calm and plenty or harrowing storms and agonizing loss.”

William D. Watkins, The Busy Christian’s Guide to Experiencing God More (Ann Arbor: Servant, 1997) 85.

Simplicity can be described as “practicing a lifestyle free of excess, greed, and covetousness so that we can draw closer to God and reach out to others in compassionate service. As we enter into simplicity, the Holy Spirit empowers us to seek first the kingdom of God, to keep our eyes on Jesus, and to live free of crippling anxiety and lust for money.”

Siang-Yang Tan and Douglas H. Gregg, Disciplines of the Holy Spirit: How to Connect to the Spirit’s Power and Presence (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997) 175.

“We are to be centers through which Jesus can flow as rivers of living water in blessing to everyone. Some of us are like the Dead Sea, always taking in but never giving out, because we are not rightly related to the Lord Jesus. As surely as we receive from Him, He will pour out through us, and in the measure He is not pouring out, there is a defect in our relationship to Him. Is there anything between you and Jesus Christ?”

Oswald Chambers (1874-1917), My Utmost for His Highest (Grand Rapids: Discovery House, 1963), excerpt from September 7 reading.

“Gratitude is an offering precious in the sight of God, and it is one that the poorest of us can make and be not poorer but richer for having made it.”

A. W. Tozer (1897-1963) as recounted by Vernon K. McLellan, Twentieth Century Thoughts that Shaped the Church (Carol Stream: Tyndale House, 2000) 242.

“It is when I turn to Christ, when I give up myself to His personality, then I first begin to have a real personality of my own…There are no real personalities anywhere else. Until you have given yourself to Him you will not have a real self…But there must be a real giving up of the self. You must throw it away ‘blindly’ so to speak. Christ will indeed give you a real personality…

The very first step is to try to forget about the self altogether. Your real, new self (which is Christ’s and also yours, and yours just because it is His)…It will come when you are looking for Him. Give up yourself, and you will find your real self. Lose your life and you will save it. Submit to death, death of your ambitions and favourite wishes, every day and death of your whole body in the end: submit with every fibre of your being and you will find eternal life.

Keep back nothing. Nothing that you have not given away will be really yours. Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead. Look for yourself, and you will find in that long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else…”

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (C.S. Lewis Pte. Ltd.: 1980) 226-227.

“It’s Christmas every time you let God love others through you. Yes, It’s Christmas every time you smile at your brother and offer him your hand.”

Mother Teresa as recounted by MariLee Parrish, Love Came Down at Christmas (Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour, 2013).

“Whenever material things, money, worldliness, become the centre of our lives, they take hold of us, they possess us; we lose our very identity as human beings. The rich man in [Luke 16:19-31] has no name, he is simply “a rich man”. Material things, his possessions, are his face; he has nothing else.

Let’s try to think: How does something like this happen? How do some people, perhaps ourselves included, end up becoming self-absorbed and finding security in material things which ultimately rob us of our face, our human face?

This is what happens when we no longer remember God. If we don’t think about God, everything ends up being about “me” and my own comfort. Life, the world, other people, all of these become unreal, they no longer matter, everything boils down to one thing: having. When we no longer remember God, we too become unreal, we too become empty; like the rich man in the Gospel, we no longer have a face! Those who run after nothing become nothing.”

Pope Francis, excerpt from the English translation of his homily on 28 September 2013. For the full homily visit Vatican Radio.

“Within the economy of salvation, the material goods with which God gifts us are given for the sake of meeting our needs — our needs and the needs of our near and distant neighbors. Specifically, the purpose of material goods within the divine economy is that of nurturing communion. What God has given us is not intended solely for our private good.”

Daniel M. Bell, Jr., The Economy of Desire: Christianity and Capitalism in a Postmodern World (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012) 158.

“In 1737 Handel’s opera company went bankrupt, and he suffered what seems to be a mild stroke…Once the composer for royalty, he was now threaten with debtor’s prison. Deeply depressed, Handel was visited by his friend Charles Jennens. The wealthy, devout Anglican had written a libretto about the life of Christ and the work of redemption, with the text completely taken from the Bible. A fussy perfectionist, Jennens had written it to challenge the deists who denied the divinity of Jesus.

Would Handel compose the music for it? he asked. Handel answered that he would and estimated completion in a year. Soon thereafter, a group of Dublin charities approached Handel to compose a work for a benefit performance. The money raised would help free men from debtor’s prison…Now with a text and a motivation, Handel began composing Messiah on August 22, 1741. Within six days, Part One was finished. In nine more, Part Two. Six more and Part Three was done. It took him only an additional two days to finish the orchestration…He rarely left his room and rarely touched his meals. But in 24 days he had composed 260 pages…

When he finished writing what would become known as the Hallelujah Chorus, he said “I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God himself.” …The premiere on April 13, 1742 at Fishamble Street Musick Hall was a sensation. An overcapacity crowd of 700 people attended, raising 400 pounds to release 142 men from prison.”

George Frederick Handel (1685-1759) as recounted in 131 Christians Everyone Should Know (Nashville: Christianity Today, 2000) 113-114.

Last night, Jenni and I attended Handel’s Messiah in downtown Denver. It was performed by the Colorado Bach Ensemble and directed by James Kim. It is likely that we will look back on the Christmas season 2014 and say this was the most sacred and precious memory for few experiences exalt Scripture’s Messiah with such magnificence.

Of course we just love that Handel performed this oratorio not for personal gain for the purpose of setting people free from financial slavery. Though originally performed at Easter, it has also become a Christmas tradition because the three movements proclaim the prophecies, the passion, and the promise of Messiah, our the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you live anywhere near Boulder or Fort Collins, CO, we urge you to attend one of their final two performances on December 21 or 22, 2013. Should this be too far to travel, for about the price of a ticket, we commend to you our personal favorite three CD set: John Eliot Gardiner, English Baroque Soloists, Philips 1982. Check it out on Amazon.

“For what profit is there in acquiring anything temporal or transitory in this world–whether it be money, or gorging oneself on food, or achieving hight honors from your fellow human beings. Are not all things smoke and wind? Do not all things pass on in a moment? And woe to those who want to hang on to passing things, for they pass with them!…My brothers, those who seek such things sell them.”

Augustine (354-430) Bishop of Hippo, Tractates on the Gospel of John 10.6.1-3. ACCS IVa 101. FC 78:216-217.