Getting back to basics, to me, means breaking things down to their smallest common denominator. Drilling down to the core issues - making it clear and simple.
This thought jumped out at me as I was studying Romans 13:8:
Keep out of debt and owe no man anything except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor (who practices loving others) has fulfilled the Law (relating to one's fellowmen, meeting all its requirements.)
God really doesn't complicate things at all - we sure do! How much more straightforward can you get: Keep out of debt and love each other. How timely and practical for us right now in these crazy, unsettled economic and political times.
Beyond that, the phrase that says "love fulfills all God's requirements" is absolutely amazing to me. The Jewish people took the first five books of the bible and came up with hundreds upon hundreds of rules to burden themselves with. Many of us tend to look at the New Testament teachings and think, "How do I remember them all, much less do them?"
God made it so simple - it all boils down to love. God is love (1 John 4:8 & 16). When everything else fades away - love will still remain (1Corinthians 13:13). God loved the world so much He gave us Jesus (John 3:16). Love was and is His primary motivation in all He does because He is love. And the one that never ceases to humble me and fill me with awe - Jesus Himself tells us that God the Father loves us just as He loves Jesus (John 17:23)!! It fills me with awe to even consider that God loves me as much as He loves Jesus.
Maybe if we all stop worrying about the stupid, nonsense - the ridiculous, nit-picky stuff and focus on the core, the root, the heart of the matter:
Are we operating out of love?
Maybe then all the other issues would be resolved and life would become more peaceful and fulfilling.
Love - anyway you look at it, in the final analysis, is really all that matters. Now, that's what I call getting back to basics.
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