So, tonight I find myself at home for the
2nd night in a row.
This is extremely unusual for me and I have almost been bored at
times. Tonight I turned to a Bible
Study and God spoke so clearly to me through His Word. I am thinking I need more “free”
time. Not just, waiting to go
somewhere or to get something done time.
But FREE, totally FREE time
where I can be in the Word without the thought of, “I’m going to be late” or
“I’m so tired”. I love when He
stops my life to have relationship with Him.
I have missed my Heavenly Dad. I have missed being in His Word in an
every-day way. I have missed His
Spirit speaking through me and bringing Scripture to my mind throughout my
day. I missed Him. And not only did I miss him in a,
I-have-not-spent-time-with-Him way but in a, I-have-missed-OUT-on Him way. Confusing? Let me explain.
I was presented with a, “Love my enemy” situation today and instead of
loving this person, I talked about them.
And I talk about them to someone I have been trying to show a lot of
love to, God’s love. I, honestly,
didn’t think anything about it. I
felt justified in someway to be sharing my frustrations about another person to
my friend. I got home and was
without any distractions and God led me to Romans 12. I’m just going to cut and paste the entire passage in here.
Take a minute and read with me.
1Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of
God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God,
which is your spiritual service of worship.
2And do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will
of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
3For through the grace given to me I say to
everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think;
but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a
measure of faith.
1
And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a]
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.[b]
2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God
transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will
learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
3
Because of the privilege and authority[c]
God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better
than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring
yourselves by the faith God has given us
9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is
wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection,[e]
and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord
enthusiastically.[f]
12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in
trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help
them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
14
Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.
15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with
those who weep. 16 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!
17
Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can
see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with
everyone.
19
Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For
the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge;
I will pay them
back,” says the Lord. 20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed
them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In
doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” 21
Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
I skipped some in the
middle bc these were the verses that were dealing with me and how I missed OUT
on Him in that situation. I don’t
want to miss out tomorrow, I want to be active and IN on what He is doing in
and around me. I want to STRIVE to
please Him and to show His love to the women I work with and the students I am
allowed to teach. To be diligent
in my service to my Heavenly Dad, to be a “pleasing aroma to Him”. I encourage you to get in the Word.
Even if you have NEVER read the Bible before, try it out and see how it
goes. The Lord never fails me (or
anyone else for that matter) and His Word is so alive and active. I am thankful there is no limit to
it. Like, if I haven’t read in 3
days, I have to put in 3 days before God speaks to me. FALSE! He speaks to me EVERY time I am reading. Even if I don’t recognize it at the
time “His word never comes back void”.
Thank
you Lord for the time to read and reflect on Your Word. Please don’t stop speaking to me and
working in me?!
