Greetings in the name of “the King of Glory” (Psalm 24:7) and in Jesus Christ – THE Crucified and Risen Saviour! Wow! – a brand new month with 31 days of life to live and fill with meaning. I trust that you had a great weekend and were surprised by God’s ‘appearances’ in your life – unexpected and purposeful.On this 12th day of Lent 2015 I will be praying for you, asking Father to walk with you today and speak words of encouragement to you.
I enjoy learning new words and new insights as to the meaning of words we use without considering the underlying quality of expression. Recently in our Bible study we were directed to a passage of scripture that used words that we were familiar with and probably thought we knew the meaning. However, the teacher gave us some interesting ideas to ponder. I want to share these ideas with you today, so that I will be reminded and so that, you can ponder with me, then the next time we use the words God will ‘quicken our spirit’.
Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved (that would be ‘us), clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Colossians 3:12 NIV. Compassion – to feel it in your ‘gut’, that feeling that upsets your comfortableness and makes you queasy … Kindness – to loan your strength to someone else, giving to someone what they cannot provide for themselves, without being required … Humility – to see yourself accurately in relationship with others, knowing every person is loved by God, knowing we are all “peers” of someone else … Gentleness – responding to others knowing their strengths and weaknesses, it is about communication not condescension …Patience – operating at the same speed as someone else, to adjust to another’s ‘pace’.
Even as I share with you this part of a teaching, I am being reminded of a song that was being sung yesterday at prayer time: Just a moment in your presence, my heart is ever-changed -Just one touch from heaven, I’ll never be the same – I find joy and peace and comfort – A love that’s pure and true – While I’m here in your presence, Lord with you … Carol Cymbala. The next time someone asks me to be patient … I will travel to that moment on a Monday night when with the group, in God’s presence, we learned that a change of pace is required. Moments in God’s presence do affect us in our everyday life.
Be blessed!