If you are looking for a way to carry out Christ’s command to love your neighbor, Paul has a suggestion: bear their burdens. At some point, everyone struggles under the weight of an oppressive situation. Believers have an obligation to get under that load next to their brothers and sisters.
A believer cannot wait until his life is clear of obstacles before reaching out to others, since that day may never come. Even though we have our own needs, we can do all things through Christ’s strength—including sharing someone else’s adversity (2 Cor. 12:9).
When you’re willing to wade into someone else’s troubles to help that person hold up under the weight, two things happen. First, he or she receives desperately needed blessings in the form of aid, support, and love. And second, you fulfill God’s command to love a neighbor as yourself.
Thoughts
. Be slow to judge others but quick to judge yourself.
. God may conceal the purpose of His ways, but His ways are not without purpose.
. The beauty of creation gives us reasons to sing God’s praise.
. Write your plans in pencil and remember that God has the eraser.
. Never pass up an opportunity to enjoy nature’s beauty—it’s the handwriting of God.
. Blessed is the person who finds out which way God is moving and then goes in that direction.
. Let your light shine—whether you’re a candle in a corner or a lighthouse on a hill.
1 Corinthians 9:19
Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
Thoughts on Today's Verse....
Grace frees us from the law of sin and death. But, our freedom is not to be used for rebellion or for self-gratification. Instead, we are to use our freedom redemptively, just as Jesus did (cf. Philippians 2:5-11).
We can voluntarily limit that freedom to help others still caught in bondage to sin and false ideas about God. We can use the freedom of the Spirit to be transformed to be like Christ (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). Let's use our freedom to rejoice and to bless.
A believer cannot wait until his life is clear of obstacles before reaching out to others, since that day may never come. Even though we have our own needs, we can do all things through Christ’s strength—including sharing someone else’s adversity (2 Cor. 12:9).
When you’re willing to wade into someone else’s troubles to help that person hold up under the weight, two things happen. First, he or she receives desperately needed blessings in the form of aid, support, and love. And second, you fulfill God’s command to love a neighbor as yourself.
Thoughts
. Be slow to judge others but quick to judge yourself.
. God may conceal the purpose of His ways, but His ways are not without purpose.
. The beauty of creation gives us reasons to sing God’s praise.
. Write your plans in pencil and remember that God has the eraser.
. Never pass up an opportunity to enjoy nature’s beauty—it’s the handwriting of God.
. Blessed is the person who finds out which way God is moving and then goes in that direction.
. Let your light shine—whether you’re a candle in a corner or a lighthouse on a hill.
1 Corinthians 9:19
Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
Thoughts on Today's Verse....
Grace frees us from the law of sin and death. But, our freedom is not to be used for rebellion or for self-gratification. Instead, we are to use our freedom redemptively, just as Jesus did (cf. Philippians 2:5-11).
We can voluntarily limit that freedom to help others still caught in bondage to sin and false ideas about God. We can use the freedom of the Spirit to be transformed to be like Christ (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). Let's use our freedom to rejoice and to bless.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Post a Comment