WORD HAVE ROOM

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

 

…From Colossians 3 (MSG)

So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective....dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline.

 

Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other.

 

None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness.

Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense...

Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

 

Let’s unpack it!

GOOD practical counsel for today don’t you think?

Pursue today in a CHRIST-LIKE manner!

Be compassionate, kind, humble and disciplined. 

Don’t let anger or a short-temper derail the day! 

Embrace a forgiving spirit, a loving temperament. 

Allow PEACE to dictate rather than chaos.

Take a back seat to lift others to the forefront.

 

Yet what I love most about this little instruction from Paul is his encouragement to LET THE WORD, GOD’s WORD be the guide!

 

Give it ROOM he says.

And that is not just in your intellect as you make decisions but, in your heart, as you deal with those "feeling" matters as well!

 

One last takeaway is that whatever WE DO today we do it with a spirit and attitude of GRATEFULNESS!

 

Seems simple enough huh?

Will we embrace it?

I am getting ready to walk into what promises to be a contentious discussion here in an hour or so, I need to HEED this counsel!  I have a couple of HIGHLY contentious calls waiting for me later today as well.  I need to HEED this counsel.

To let the WORD have ROOM!

 

For Nouwen once remarked…

“When we are securely rooted in personal intimacy with the source of life (CHRIST), it will be possible to remain flexible without being relativistic, convinced without being rigid, willing to confront without being offensive, gentle and forgiving without being soft, and true witnesses without being manipulative.”

 

In other words, when we let the LOVE of CHRIST have the run of the "house", today WILL be better. 

It will!

  

I love you all!

HAVE A BLESSED WEEKEND!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE