Do you
know how many stressed--out mothers it takes to change a light bulb?
One. ONE!!
And do you know WHY it only takes ONE? Because no one else in this house
knows how to change a light bulb. They don't even know the bulb
is burned out. They would sit in this house in the dark for three
days before they figured it out. And once they figured it out they wouldn't be
able to find the light bulbs despite the fact that they've been in the same
cabinet for the past 17 years. But if they did, by some miracle, find the
light bulbs, two days later, the chair that they dragged from two rooms over to
stand on to change the stupid light bulb would still be in the same spot!
AND underneath it would be the crumpled light bulb package. WHY???
Because no one in this house carries out the garbage. It's a wonder we
haven't all suffocated from the piles of garbage 12 feet deep in this house...
this house! It would take an army to clean this house...
How often do we
recognize what others need to change in their lives before we recognize what
changes we need to make? So many of us make New Year’s resolutions that seem to
vanish after the first month, or sometimes we keep those resolutions alive for
several months before they bite the dust: Lose weight, quit smoking, less
temper and more patience, better with money management, start saving for
retirement. Most of our resolutions can be reduced down to having more
self-control, which is part of the fruit of the Spirit.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace,
long-suffering, kindness, goodness,
faith, 23 meekness, self-control.
Against such things there is not a law.
Wait… what was
that last part again? Against such things there is not a law. Being led by the
Spirit we are not under Law, Paul says it in verse 18. It isn’t too much of a
leap to conclude that we cannot exhibit these things such as love, joy peace, self-control, kindness, goodness, faith,
meekness, long-suffering, by our selves. Only through the strength of the
Holy Spirit and by His gift of the Fruit can we exhibit these things which are
a testimony to God’s work of changing our hearts and minds: in short
sanctification.
Change is a
scary thing.
We resist
change almost to death because we love the familiar and hold that close. We go
to the same Bible verses because we know them, we study the same passages
because we love them. Yet, there is so much more to behold in God’s love
letter.
My church has
started a Read The Bible in a Year, this year... again. We're
starting in Genesis and some verses were given to go along
with Genesis 3&4. James 4:7 was one of them. I almost did not look them up
because I didn't want to take the time, then I decided right then that God was
more important than time and He would bless me. I would receive, if nothing
else, He would at least give me peace for checking the verses. Then I decided
that one verse wasn't enough, but I should read the background chapter as well
as the verse. For quite a long time now, God has been working on me about
reading bits and pieces and filling in with my own understanding rather than
studying the whole using His guidance and understanding.
Even though I
have studied my Bible deeply for more than -- cough -- for a long time, He has reminded me that I
lose so much because of familiarity. I think I know, so I skip it and move on
hunting a "new truth" or "new insight". I'm ashamed to say,
I've missed so much in the past few years because of familiarity.
Thank you, my
Father, for reminding me to keep on trying, which led to the desire to get
outside the box of familiarity and to ask You for familiar truths with new
light to share. I think that my resolution this year is to lean more upon You
and less upon me. My expectations this year will be to read the Bible through
using Your understanding which is a free gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank You for
helping me realize there is no place like peace.
2 comments:
Gina: A lot of us 'of a certain age',do not like change. Once I get set in a certain path, I don't want to go through the hassle of retraining my mind. I have found it interesting to read different versions of the same passage. I did some editing of a woman's manuscript a few months ago. She quoted the KJV and MSG for her scriptures. I prefer to read the NIV. I had a KJV and a NKJV. I asked for a MSG Bible for Christmas. It is a change from what I am used to. The compiler claims it is a reading Bible, not a study Bible.
Cecelia... I hear you and have the same feelings! It is hard to "do it a different way". Our church is finding this challenge hits home because we have a new, young pastor, and a new young worship leader (I love the old term, Music Minister because sacred music ministers to me!). We keep praying God's will be done and trust in His infinite wisdom, amen!
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