May 11 - Love and Joy

It’s Mother’s Day weekend and I sure hope if your mother is near, you will be able to spend some time with her. If she’s too far away, give her a call and if she’s passed, offer thanksgiving for her. If you don’t have a mother to celebrate with, find a mom or a special lady that needs some extra love this weekend - it will be good for you both.  


“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”

Philippians 1:9-10


I love this passage from Paul. He’s on house arrest, chained 24/7 to a guard, and completely dependent on his friends for food. When he had been in Philippi peaching the gospel, he was not met with kindness but rather he was woefully mistreated. Yet, instead of bemoaning his current circumstance and recalling how awful Philippi had been to him, he is filled with joy. In fact he says “joy” or “rejoice” 16 times in this short book. 


He prayed faithfully for these Greek converts. He wanted to let them know how much he loved them and how his awful circumstances were actually expanding the kingdom. And the thing he prayed for these folks? That their love may abound. He had just finished the letter to the Ephesians that is almost completely about love and here in this letter, He emphasizes joy. Love, then joy. 


Father of love, thank you for first loving us and being the God who brings joy to our lives. You are the Almighty King, the Bright Morning Star and our Lord. We praise you for your mercy and your grace—the grace that exceeds any sin or guilt. We ask for healing and comfort today for friends and relatives who are facing serious illness and harsh surgeries. You are the Great Physician and our Healer so we can bring these folks to you and lay them at your feet. We pray for blessings this weekend for any who are sad and lonely—let them feel the presence of your sweet Spirit. We worship you our great God. Amen and amen. 


Love you dear one,

Pam


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

January 17, 2020

Happy Friday. It’s the end of another week and we have had more opportunities to share the love of Christ with those around us and sometimes that takes quite a bit of effort. I don’t know about you, but I’m not always anxious to embrace others and really listen to them or share with them (especially those who I don’t know well). Sometimes, I just look at them and think “Are you for real?” I don’t always agree with people over politics, sports or of course, religion. And let’s face it, we’d rather spend time with people we like and mostly agree.  And then I read my Bible. God hasn’t called us to sit in our little groups with only those we naturally gravitate towards, but to love people—all people, even those who aren’t necessarily loveable. In this passage, Paul writing to the people of Colosse remarks on how wonderful it is that they truly love others. That love must have really been something over and above the normal and he tells them that it is evident that it comes from the Holy Sp
Read more

January 15, 2020

Happy Wednesday to you. I hope your week is going well. Yesterday, I went to Sams. I was out of things like trash bags, toilet paper, and chicken, so off I went. I like going to Sams because there is always lots to look at and the isles are nice and wide. Everytime I’m there, I am amazed at how much stuff and everything from diapers to TVs to mangos to beds. It just seems incredible that so many things in such quantities are all under one roof.  King David never saw a store with as much stuff aa Sams of course, but he did see countless miracles and understand that God has plans. He knew from creation and history that he was serving a God of miracles and he know that God loved him and his people and would take care of them. He was amazed and awe-struck by the fact that a God who had done such great and mighty things not only cared about his people but that He loved them with such a great love.  “Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can co
Read more

January 9, 2020

It’s Thursday and I woke up to the blowing wind! Lots of it—I’m dreading Boomer waking up and having to go outside with him. That harsh, bitter wind seems cruel and almost evil. But I’ll wrap myself up with a fe layers and boots and brave it all.  Sometimes I think we try to do that with things we know aren’t right—things that are evil. We try to wrap ourselves up and just wade into it, but Paul tells us we should reject it—stay away from it. “Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” ‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:20-24‬ NIV When he wrote this he’d been in Berea and the Christians there diligently searched the scriptures to make sure everything Paul said was in line. Paul here is encouraging the Thessalonians to
Read more