Maybe the Beatles were onto something (or on something?) when they wrote All You Need Is Love. But, the love they were referring to wasn't the agape--or unconditional love--our Savior drenches us in. As we conclude the final chapter in Exodus (hooray!) and forge our way towards the Christmas season, there's no more ideal time than this to pause and be steeped in His love.
Seems like we just kicked-off Colossians yesterday, but I **blinked** and this week we wrap up with a short 18 verse study. Beginning in early May we will do a quick stint in Philemon and read of Paul’s plea for his friend, Onesimus (Philemon is only one chapter, and it’s the final of Paul’s Prison Epistles).
And speaking of thinking…we are to set our minds on things above, not earthly things. That is hard. It’s a process for God to re-wire our mind so that it’s focused on His Kingdom and not this broken world and the cares we’re loaded down with. This truth is repeated to us in Romans 12:1-2 which says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Death to self = Renewed in Christ.
We live in a world that loves to market that positive self-talk, feel-good, “live a happy life” message. It’s on the radio, in the bookstore, and touted from the pulpit because it’s what our itching ears want to hear. It’s a “light and fat-free” message of comfort, and it is exactly the noise that Satan wants us to hear.
With this fresh spring season comes a new Bible study to tuck under your floral belt (I hear florals are all the rage in fashion this year). Sometimes life is beige. It’s “eh.” It feels a little blah, blah, blah. But those average moments multiply and begin to formulate our lives as believers. Therefore, we must stay in our lane and run hard. Be tenacious!
