verseoftheday

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you.  Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.  Dont copy the behavior and customs of this world... ... Bless those who persecute you.  Don't curse them;  pray that God will bless them.  Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.  Live in harmony with each other.  Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people.  And don't think you know it all!  Never pay back evil with more evil.  Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.  Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Romans 12:1-2, 14-18 NLT This part of Paul's letter seems to be an extension of this idea of what worship is, of what transforming life looks like. It's not a "to-do" list, but an invitation into a way of being, a way of livin...

Don't just pretend to love others.  Really love them.  Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.  Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.  Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.  Rejoice in our confident hope.  Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.  When God's people are in need, be ready to help them.  Always be eager to practice hospitality. Romans 12:9-13 NLT This isn't a set of rules we have to follow, a tick list, it's an invitation into a way of being, a way of living that reflects our God's love for us and grace towards us out into the world that we live in. These are not weapons to fire at others, or at ourselves. Grace over guilt. Maybe start with this and see what opens up: "Rejoice in our confident hope." Start with hope. Confident hope. (For more on this go back a bit earlier in Paul's letter and check chapters 6 & 8) And rejoice in that.  And I ...

Don't just pretend to love others.  Really love them.  Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.  Love each other with genuine affection,  and take delight in honoring each other.  Romans 12:9-10 NLT I wonder why Paul thought he needed to write this to the church in Rome? If he wrote this to my church what would have caught his attention? If he wrote this to me, what would he have noticed in me that needs this encouragement? What does Paul's encouragement invite is towards today? #letters #invitation #reallylovenopretending #holdontothegood #delightinothers

I am on the verge of collapse,  facing constant pain. But I confess my sins;  I am deeply sorry for what I have done.  I have many aggressive enemies;  they hate me without reason.  They repay me evil for good and oppose me for pursuing good.  Do not abandon me,  O Lord.  Do not stand at a distance,  my God.  Come quickly to help me,  O Lord my savior. Psalms 38:17-22 NLT All of our emotions can be found in the Psalms - perhaps you've felt like David does here, maybe that's how it is today - this Psalm gives permission to feel what you feel  - that's OK. David's writing also gives us some clues about the way forward: He acknowledges what's going on in him by writing it down - try that if you haven't. He looks inwards to his own heart, looks outward to the choices and actions of others, and looks up - continues to look to our God in his distress. Perhaps we can follow David's pattern here. What do you think? #psalms #songs #rede...

Sunday Psalms; Psalms 38:6-11 NLT I am bent over and racked with pain.  All day long I walk around filled with grief. A raging fever burns within me,  and my health is broken.  I am exhausted and completely crushed.  My groans come from an anguished heart.  You know what I long for,  Lord;  you hear my every sigh.  My heart beats wildly, my strength fails,  and I am going blind.  My loved ones and friends stay away, fearing my disease. Even my own family stands at a distance. Psalms 38:6-11 NLT I'm not sure if David is experiencing all of these things at the same time or if he is writing his song to express a time in his life, to get God's attention, but he does have something to say. And he says it. Writes it.  Gets it out of his head.  Pain. Grief. Fever. Exhaustion. Anxiety. Body breaking down. Rejection. It's all here. And it's not directed away from God but towards Him, letting Him know what's going on. The invitation of t...

A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes,  but a person of understanding delights in wisdom. Proverbs 10:23 NIV Can we see Jesus in this Proverb? He is the opposite of the first part, the anti-fool who took no part in the schemes of others, and yet submitted himself to those schemes for us.  Jesus is the "person of understanding," and when I think of him in this light, he was often going back to the Father, spending time in prayer, spending time alone. Being that "person of wisdom" isn't a one off thing or something that someone attains and stops - it's not a destination but a living journey. #proverbs  #wisdom  #somethingtochewon #itsaheartthing  #takethenextstep 

Friday! Proverbs! A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes,  but a person of understanding delights in wisdom. Proverbs 10:23 NIV Easy to see this Proverb at work in the world - any day's media headlines show us the first part out loud - a bit harder to find the second part - the "person of understanding". But if Proverbs is really offering insight into my heart, I wonder where I take pleasure in, or think something is good or fun that is hurtful or harmful to someone? And where, when, (or even if) am I taking delight in "wisdom"? Biblehub defines wisdom as used here , the word "chokmah" as  "While fundamentally moral and spiritual, it embraces practical insight, technical skill, administrative aptitude, and relational discernment. Appearing about 149 times in the Old Testament, it undergirds Israel's worship, ethics, statecraft, and artistry" This is a broad term for embracing "life", taking delight in life, art, work, as well a...