Unswerving Hope

Hebrews 10:23-25

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess.”  Unswervingly is such a wonderfully descriptive word!  Other versions say, “hold fast and not waver” or “no room for doubt,” but I love the use of unswervingly in the NIV.  It makes me stop and think though… do I hold unswervingly to hope; to the salvation that God has promised?

Often, I let hope slip through my hands.  I lay in bed and stare at my phone, reading negative word after negative word.  The world feels like a scary place, absent of grace, which makes me want to pull the covers over my head and hide.

So, what keeps you going?  What is it that makes you wake up each day and put one foot in front of the other?

Hopefully in addition to your loving Father, you have people in your life who spur you on and encourage you.  We need each other now more than ever.  In a world that promotes distance and disconnection, God wants us to reach out and not lose hope.  He wants us to “not give up on meeting together” because he knows how important fellowship can be.  When nourished, love blossoms.

So Father, may I hold unswervingly to your promises and encourage others to do the same.  When I see someone struggling, fill me with an overabundance of grace to share.  And in a world that wants to tear us down, may I be an encouragement to others and build them up so they can throw back the covers and step into each new day, strengthened by your love.

"Not by works of righteousness that we have done..."

Deuteronomy 9:1-6

In today’s reading Moses is talking to the Israelites as they are about to cross the Jordan River and enter into the Promised Land.  Verses 1-3 summarize the challenges (Anakites!) of claiming this new land and end with the promise that “the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire.  He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you.”  These had to be some exciting words for a people who have been wandering in the wilderness for many years!


But after the promises in verses 1-3 the tone changes.  Three times in the next three verses Moses tells the people that the victories that they are going to experience are not because of their righteousness.  In fact, the reading ends with Moses telling the Israelites that instead of being righteous they “are a stiff-necked people.”


These warnings made me think of Paul’s instruction to Titus in Titus 3:4-5:  “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.  He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit”.  (We hear a similar message from Paul in Ephesians 2:8-9).


God calls us to live righteous lives just as he did the Israelites.  But like the Israelites, we need to be reminded that our efforts toward righteousness do not “earn” our deliverance from our enemies (sin and death).  That only comes from the grace God showers on those who believe in his son, Jesus Christ.
  
As Lutheran Christians we like to talk about Law and Gospel.  The Law does a pretty good job of reminding us that our efforts toward righteousness are not enough.  The Law Shows us Our Sin (SOS).  The Gospel shows us the true source of our deliverance (salvation).  The Gospel Shows us Our Savior (SOS)!  


Thank-you Father for sending Jesus to win a victory for us that we could never win ourselves.  Help us to remember Moses’ message to the Israelites and Paul’s message to Titus as we give thanks for this incredible gift.  Amen.

Fair weather friends

What sort of friend always believes the worst in us? Is that even the behavior of a friend? I've had a few women I considered friends, but who disappointed me, even betrayed my trust. I eventually moved on to find new ones.

Friends love and speak truth to us, but they also believe in us and will be willing to tell us if we are on the wrong path. Isn't it curious the friends Job embraced? I've often questioned his ability to judge a man's character because of his choice for supporters.

But he knows the way that I take;
    when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
11 My feet have closely followed his steps;
    I have kept to his way without turning aside. (Job 23:10-11)

I didn't stop to consider that maybe Job wanted to teach his companions about the true nature of God, and that is why he didn't dismiss them as out-of-line when they questioned his character. When they inferred he must have done something bad for all this calamity to befall him, he didn't tell them to go home. He listened and continued to sit with them.

Job's friends held to a belief that God punishes; that when something bad happens to us it is because of something bad we did first. Job’s friends do not offer any grace here. They assumed the worst, but Job knew different. He also knew his God and put his faith to work during this season.

  

Job 23:8-12

God's Riches at Christ's Expense

Leviticus 16:15-22

            Scripture tells us that daily sacrifices and offerings were not enough to satisfy the wrath of God. Atonement for a year’s worth of sin needed a scapegoat to carry the wrongdoing far into the wilderness.  

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

John 3:16

            For much of my life, I had a basic understanding of religion and had little trouble believing there was a God.  I just didn’t get the Jesus part.  It was obvious that a divine power was at work and there was, of course, a system of right and wrong.  Christians appeared to be people who shared something, but since my family had stopped attending church, I felt excluded and uninvited.

            As a parent, I resumed church attendance because there needed to be baptisms and confirmations.  I worshiped and served.  I joined bible studies and it wasn’t until I studied scripture that I had my epiphany.  God solved our problem with sin!  That is the importance of Jesus!  But I wondered, "Why did God do that?"  He mustn't realize that the biggest motivator for good behavior is to please Him and avoid damnation. Little did I know that the significance of Jesus and God's grace could make people WANT to behave well.

written by Nancy Gleeson

            Fast forward to Sunday mornings at UALC.  With music and worship, I am uplifted in awestruck emotion filled with God’s love.  Jesus has taken the punishment and God has set me free!  No longer am I burdened by guilt or shame from past or present sin, done or left undone.  I am His to serve this world in ways that only true freedom from sin can inspire.   My spirit has been made new like a butterfly leaving its cocoon.  I now understand what God has done.

Christ is the atonement for all sin

 and our scapegoat.  Amen.

 

Two Choices

Romans 6:14-20

What would you do if you had only two choices with every decision? Can you imagine in this day and age what that would be like? How would you feel if when you went to the grocery store there was only two kinds of chips and not a whole isle? Or what would it be like to buy a car where your only choice was a stripped down version of a plain black car or a plain white one?

We like to have multiple choices because it makes us feel like we are in control. We can decide what flavor or brand or crinkle we want in our chip. We can decide what color or size engine or package of options we get with our car. We decide… therefore, we control.

Paul gives us a different perspective on decision making in Romans.

¹⁶ Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.      NLT

Paul is so black and white about things. We like it better when our choices have some gray area to consider. Then we can be graded on a curve instead of exact percentages. We like essay answers where we can explain why we chose what we did, instead of true and false questions that leave no room for interpretation.

Then, just when we think we understand, Paul wrote this.

¹⁴ Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.    NLT

He just got done saying that you are a “slave to whatever you choose to obey” and now he’s talking about living “under the freedom of God’s grace”. Confusing right?

Maybe the lesson for us to learn is the next time we are facing a decision, we need to look at it like Paul did. We have two choices. The one that leads to death; or the one that leads to life? Which one do you want to choose?

Well… when you put it that way, it doesn’t seem like much of a choice.

A Courtroom of Shame

Revelation: 20:11-15

Think of the most shameful thing you have ever done. Now imagine that you are in a courtroom filled with your family, friends from church and neighbors. Across from you is the District Attorney who is ready to explain to everyone why you deserve the maximum sentence.

Before the sentencing, the judge reads the charges against you for everyone to hear; your shameful act that cannot be reversed. He asks if you have anything to say for yourself.  Through tears of shame and regret, you make your remorseful plea. The DA sneers and responds with a venomous, angry attack, casting doubt on your integrity and your value as a person.

The judge pronounces your sentence and then you, along with all the other convicted reprobates, proceed out the door of the courtroom in a chain gang, each shackled to one another. Your head hangs low. You’re unable to look at anyone in the courtroom. You know that you deserve this punishment.

¹¹ And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. ¹² I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books.  NLT

In the New Living Translation, the title of this passage is “The Final Judgement”. If you or I are judged solely on our actions as described here, our fate is sealed. The “great white throne” would not be an image of hope, but of shame, judgement and condemnation.

Thankfully, Paul tells us in Romans, that is not the case; that we have hope through Jesus Christ.

 ²⁴ O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? ²⁵ I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord… [NKJV] ¹ Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus... [NIV]

Jesus suffered the shameful death on the cross of a common criminal so that we wouldn’t have to; so that we wouldn’t be required to face a courtroom of shame and judgement. Thanks be to God.

GOD’S REMNANT

Reading: Romans 11:1-6

“REMNANT SALE,” I read aloud in the flyer from the fabric store.

“What’s that?” my friend asked. I hadn’t heard the term in years, but I recalled buying remnants back in the day when I was into making purses from heavy fabric.

I explained, “It’s a small amount of material left on the end of a bolt of fabric, usually less than a yard. It would seem useless to sell because there isn’t enough to make something from a pattern for a dress or a suit or a robe. But these can be great for small one-of-a-kind items like purses, placemats, potholders, etc – or they would be perfect for making a patch-work quilt.”

When I read the verses for today, the word “remnant” caught my eye. Several translations used this term for the small group of Jews whom God “reserved for Himself” during Elijah’s time – Jews who had remained faithful to Him after all the others had walked away in disobedience and followed different gods (see Romans 11: 4; also read the story in I Kings 19: 10-18).

Paul further expanded the term to include Jews of his day who had been chosen by God’s grace (and indeed, extends today to those who are a faithful remnant of Jesus). We believers who are not Jewish by birth are included in the remnant by adoption. “The grounds for the existence of the remnant was not [our] good works but [only by] God’s grace.” (From note on vs 5 in the NIV Study Bible).

We, God’s Remnant, are set apart by His grace and favor for a special purpose, which I am imagining to be that patch-work quilt of believers from “every tribe and tongue” that enjoys, appreciates and shares the unique pattern He has created us to be together!

How grateful I am, Lord, that through your grace and mercy, I am among the quilt remnants that make up the whole Body of Christ. May we individually and together be a display of your beauty to the world around us.  Amen

Why, God? Why?

 

READ: Ezekiel 20:8-13, 30-36

As a young man, I had great difficulty reconciling the God who sacrificed his only son for the sins of the world with the God who judged his chosen people through exile, slavery, rape, and execution. I much preferred the former and oft asked of the latter, “Why, God? Why?”

Why did you hand the people you created over to such cruelty and suffering? Would you do the same to me or to the people I love?

I thought he would, and perhaps justifiably so. 1 Peter 3:12 says, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 

I have done evil by breaking God’s commandments, as have my loved ones, as had God’s chosen people. In fact, Romans 3:12 says, “All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

Do we then deserve to be spared from the evil of others if we ourselves do not do good?

Perhaps, then, we should question not the God who judges, but the God who shows mercy.

Did God not drown the world in the time of Noah? Burn to ashes the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah? Has he not reserved the present heavens and earth for destruction by fire? (2 Peter 2:4-6, 3:10-11)

Why, then, should Jesus come into the world that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life? (John 3:16)

Because we’re sorry? Because we repented? Because we’re going to try harder and do better?

No. The Lord says, “But for the sake of my name …” (Ezekiel 20:9)

The name (or reputation) of God. That’s why the Israelites were delivered from slavery in Egypt, that’s why they were returned from exile in Babylon, and that’s why Christ died for the sins of the world. Because God’s name is synonymous with love, mercy, and grace.

In Ephesians 2:4-5, Paul puts it like this: “Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

Imitation Is the Sincerest Form of Holiness

READ: 1 Peter 1:13-16

BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.

The command seems so lofty. 

Me, holy? No one is righteous, not even one. I confess I am a sinner. I live by grace. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. I am unholy, sold as a slave to sin, but his grace abounds.

Now that sounds a little more like the Christians I know. 

But let us consider what the Bible says about this lofty holiness. 

The prophecy: “I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” (Ezekiel 36:27)

Christ’s promise: “But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7)

Prophecy and promise fulfilled: “You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.” (Romans 8:9)

Result: “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (2 Peter 1:3)

Therefore, we are not a defeated people, powerless against our base and sinful desires, but we who have received the Holy Spirit are a redeemed and victorious people fully capable of fulfilling the command to be holy as God is holy.

Yes, we are saved by grace, but saved for a purpose: to replicate his holiness.

Guess What He Got You?!

Ephesians 2:4-10

Who doesn’t love getting a gift??  The fact that someone cares enough to pick out something and give it to you is a big deal.  Getting gifts is great, but giving them can be even more impactful.  I love seeing the joy in someone’s eyes when I give them a special gift.

Imagine the joy God feels when we accept the gifts He presents to us, most especially his gift of grace.  One of my absolute favorite lines in the Bible is Ephesians 2:8, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.

Whenever I hear this I always seem to breathe a little easier.  It’s not up to me to do enough, or read enough, or pray enough or BE enough.  I AM enough.
 
Thank God, it’s not up to us.  God does the heavy lifting.  All we have to do is trust and receive.

Reading today’s passage again, I noticed a few things.  In verse 4 it talks about “his great love.”  Verse 7 says, “his grace expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”  The passage is all about HIS mercy and HIS gift of grace.  See, it’s about HIM, not us.  He’s the one giving and we’re the ones receiving.

So, breathe a sigh of relief and accept the gift God is giving you, because it’s the greatest gift you’ll ever get!

Lost Friendship - Found Truth

Setting the scene for today's devotion, verse 29 of John 8 is this: "And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him." Jesus's words always get my attention, and these words coming as Jesus is teaching about His being the Light of the World. I know that when then light came on for me, everything changed. Can you relate? Do you know what I am talking about?

I didn't even know I was in darkness, until the Light entered in. Many of us can tell about a time when everything was bleak, life was hard and some days we questioned, "Why am I hear? What is the point?"

John 8:31-32 (ESV)
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
I can't remember for certain the incident that started the process for me. I know it had something to do with losing a friendship over something silly, that started with a lie and grew. The lie was meant to save someone's feelings, and if truth be told I was probably trying to save myself some uncomfortable moments. But, isn't that how is goes?

Galatians 5:1 (NIV)
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

The Truth became real to me in that season. Jesus began doing a new thing in my heart and my life. It took many years, but finally that friendship was healed. That is a story for another time, or blog post. The point is, Jesus is Grace and Truth and once we discover Him and become His disciples, nothing will ever be the same again, and that is a very good thing.

John 8:31-38

Celebrate!

Isaiah 61:1-11

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2061&version=NIV;ESV

  

What is your most memorable celebration? For me, it was when my wife had a surprise birthday party for my fiftieth birthday. My brother’s job was to get me out of the house while my wife and sister-in-law decorated and all the guests arrived.

 

When my brother and I were about to return early before everything was ready, he faked heart attack symptoms. He must have been a good actor because I believed him. When we finally returned, all the guests were on the deck waiting to yell “Surprise!” And it was. In fact, it was a wonderful celebration.

 

As a young Jewish nation was preparing to occupy the Promised Land, God gave them the Law and rules to live by. Rules that would lead to celebration. The Year of Jubilee (described in Isaiah 61, but originated in Leviticus 25) was a yearlong celebration to be repeated every fifty years.

 

During Jubilee, all the prisoners were to be set free; all the slaves were to be released; all debts were to be forgiven; and all property was to be returned to its original owner. In addition, people were to not work land, which means that Jubilee provided a year of rest for not only the people, but also the land.

 

For many, Jubilee was to be an opportunity for them to start over with a clean slate; with nothing to feel guilty for or ashamed of. What would it mean for you to start over with a clean slate?

 

When Jesus started his ministry, he quoted from Isaiah 61.

 

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
    and recovering of sight to the blind,
    to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”       Luke 4 ESV

 

According to Leviticus 25, the Year of Jubilee started on the Day of Atonement. This was when the sins of Israel were laid on the head of a scapegoat, and were taken into the wilderness to pay for their sins.

 

Jesus did the same thing for you and me. He took our sins upon himself into the wilderness. We didn’t deserve to be set free from sin, but he did it anyhow. Just like those who were set free as a part of the Year of Jubilee.

 

Let’s celebrate!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Do You Respond: Grace or Judgement?

1 Corinthians 1:4-9

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%201%3A4-9&version=NIV;ESV

 

How do you respond when… someone cuts you off in traffic and then puts on their breaks? When you feel like someone has slighted you? When your boss makes a derogatory remark about you? When your spouse doesn’t meet your expectations? Do you respond with grace… or with judgement?

 

During the first century, the Jews were steeped in the law. Grace was a foreign concept to them. As a result, Jesus had numerous confrontations with the religious leaders; Paul was beaten and persecuted multiple times; and the early church struggled with the issue of requiring circumcision.

 

There is something deep within the human heart that doesn’t want to forgive; doesn’t

want to show grace; but instead wants to judge and condemn.

 

It’s somewhat surprising that Paul writes in his letter to the believers at Corinth that he gives thanks for the grace shown to them; because they show so little grace to others. The Corinthian church struggled with divisions, immorality, discrimination against the poor and many other serious issues.

 

There’s a need for introspection. The Corinthian church needed it, and we need it.

 

How did you answer the questions in the first paragraph? If you are honest, you could probably add some of your own more pointedly personal questions. But, no matter how deeply imbedded our struggles, God’s grace and His faithfulness will win the day.

 

⁴ I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, ⁵ that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge… ⁷ so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁸ who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.      ESV

 

So the choice is yours. How will you respond to God’s grace and faithfulness? Will you show grace, or will you show judgement to others? God gave His grace to us so that we might share it, not keep it for ourselves.

 

 

 

Spoiled, But Hopefully Not Rotten

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. Romans 3:23-25

My eleven year old son is home-schooled.  It was a decision Steve and I made a few years ago and I love it.  I love teaching my son.  I love eliminating homework from our lives, opening up the evenings for fun activities.  I love being able to go on vacation whenever we want and not having to worry about his school schedule.  

One of the drawbacks is balancing his workload and mine.  I feel like I’m constantly moving throughout the day. Between lessons, I’m doing laundry, sweeping the floor, helping my husband with a few church things, making lunch, making beds… the lists is endless.  Evan noticed all that I was doing one day and said, “Man, I’m spoiled”.  I have to admit it felt nice to have him notice.

Have you noticed how spoiled we are with God?

As I was looking up what “Grace Alone” means I came across this excerpt from Christianity.com,

“We can only stand before God by his grace as he mercifully attributes to us the righteousness of Jesus Christ and attributes to him the consequences of our sins. Jesus’ life of perfect righteousness is counted as ours, and our records of sin and failure were counted to Jesus when he died on the cross.”

Our records of sin and failure were counted to Jesus when he died on the cross. I can’t even imagine a love that would do that for me.  I am so grateful for God’s grace.  I’ve heard before that “Mercy” can be defined as not getting what we deserve and “Grace”, getting what we don’t deserve.

We did not deserve to have Jesus perfect life of righteousness counted as ours, but that’s what God will see when meet him in Heaven.  He will see a perfect sinless child because of the sacrifice of Christ.  It’s what he sees now, when we approach his throne in prayer.  And he is able to see us sinless because of our faith in Christ, which is also a gift given by our Heavenly Father.

Just as Evan saw all I do for him, I sure hope we can see all God has done for us.

Read the entire scripture here Romans 3: 20-28

Grace received & Grace given.

1 Timothy 1:14 (NIV) 
The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

When I stop to think for a few minutes, meditate on the last verse above, I discover so many times, so many ways, Jesus' Grace swallowed up my guilt. "The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus."

This is a difficult topic for me to compose a meaningful blog post on, especially right this moment. I was walking my dog in the gorgeous fall sunshine today, knowing full well there may not be many more like this until next year. My neighborhood and the surrounding area we walk, has few sidewalks making it necessary to walk in the road.

We were approaching a one block area with sidewalks when a car roars past, burning rubber like the driver is trying to get my attention. He screeches to a halt about two car lengths past me and shouts out his window, "Can I ask why you are walking down the middle of the road when there is perfectly good sidewalk all around you?" I suggested he mind his own business to which he promptly used some words that were obviously meant to make him feel powerful and me to feel 'told off.'

Well, it worked. He certainly did tell me off!  Then I was reminded of the topic I planned to write on as soon as I got home. In fact, as I started on the walk I asked God to help me recall an instance where Grace could be the topic.

I realized that, not only do I receive undeserved grace every day of my life, but I have opportunity to also dish out some grace too. In this case I could just forget about the incident and not let it spoil my day.  Or, I could learn from it and the next time chose my words more carefully. I could have said, "I am sorry, yes, you are right."  Then smile and move up to the sidewalk.

That's not my nature, but perhaps it should be.

1 Timothy 1:9-14

Remember His Great Love

Acts 20:22-24, 32

22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

32“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Paul was a determined man. Once he had his encounter with Christ, on the road to Demascus, there was no stopping him.  In today’s passage we see him following the leading of the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, knowing that hardships and prison are a reality.  But he is determined. Determined to finish the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.  

You see, he experienced that grace first hand when God spared him is life. Once a man persecuting the church, hunting down Christians to be stoned to death, he now relentlessly shares the good news of Christ, counting his own life as nothing in comparison.

How passionate are you for Christ?  We, like Paul, have been given the same task.  Take some time today to consider how the grace of God covers you.  How in his mercy he has called you to him.  He does not see your flaws, your failures, your foolish decisions.  He sees someone with hope and a future.  He sees someone worth dying for.  

Do not fall weary. Finish the task set before you, go where the Spirit leads and testify to someone TODAY the good news of the grace of God.

You Want Me To Do ALL That?

²⁵ Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ²⁶ “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold. ²⁸ Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. -Ephesians 4:25-32

Today I have posted the entire scripture text for you to read.  The Apostle Paul is so strategic in how he instructs us, that I wanted you to see the entire picture.   This section of scripture ends with a very specific command. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ God forgave you.”

I think as a Christian we grow accustom to reading and hearing that we should be kind and compassionate and to other and forgive.  We know it’s something we should do, and I bet many of us truly want to be able to live up to that instruction.  There are times, though that we want to yell, “It’s just not fair!”

We don’t feel that God understands the hurt. There are times that being kind and compassionate, forgiving the person who hurt you so deeply is just impossible. That is where I want to introduce this entire passage to you.  Take a look. 

Paul starts by saying,

• ·         Don’t lie, but speak truthfully.
• ·         Don’t get so angry that you sin, and if you are angry make amends quickly.
• ·         Don’t steal.  Work for what you get.
• ·         What you do work for, share with those in need.
• ·         Watch your mouth.  Don’t say hurtful, negative, slanderous things.
• ·         Don’t give credit to something else that belongs to God, that Grieves the Holy Spirit.

Lastly Paul sends out a barrage of don’ts… Get rid of ALL bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with EVERY form of malice.

I think Paul structured this passage in this way for two reasons. First, before he asks us to forgive others he reminds us of our own areas of sin.  Christ has forgiving us completely so we should forgive others.  It’s easier to show compassion when you remember the compassion that was first shown to you.

Secondly, I think Paul wants us to see the impossibility of EVERYTHING he is asking us to do if we are not connected to God.  We CAN’T walk the path of speaking truthfully, not sinning in anger, making amends, honest work, giving to those in need, positive talk, giving God glory, and everything else on our own. It does seem impossible to show kindness, compassion and forgiveness to deep hurts if we do it in our own strength.  God never intended us to do this alone.  He wants us to rely on him and his strength.

We need to be mindful of all of this, but also surrender to the One who can do this work in and through us.