February 8 ~ Colossians 1:9-12
Be assured that from the first day we
heard of you, we haven’t stopped praying for you, asking God to give you
wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough
understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you’ll live
well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his
orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to
do your work. We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out
over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the
glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable
and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough
to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us.
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
We went to the park to play after
church and lunch, and of course, the children wanted to swing. I think
Timothy and Zola love swings as much as any children I’ve ever known.
Today, Zola said, “I’ll swing myself!” She was adamant…until she could
not make herself go back and forth as she had hoped. Try as she might to
“push and pull”, the swing stayed pretty well stationary…and she called
for some help to get the swing going!
When it comes to our
relationship with God, we are a lot like the little kid who wants to do
it all herself. We ought to be able to figure it all out on our own.
We have a Bible…we know how to pray…what else is needed? There are two
parts to the answer: 1) developing our faith and fellowship with God
takes time and practice… and 2) one of the greatest blessings of being a
Christian lies in the support of fellow believers. So as others pray
for us and encourage us in our understanding of God and communion with
Him, we are strengthened and nurtured. Our wisdom, discernment, and
confidence grow. We find joy in the love and fellowship of brothers and
sisters in Christ who join us in corporate and collective worship.
There
is nothing wrong with needing a little “push” from time to time. All
Christians need an occasional cheerleader - and the prayers of their
fellow believers. Take joy and comfort in knowing that others pray for
you and undergird your efforts to walk with Christ. Pay it forward by
praying for your fellow Christians and offering them encouragement and
insight whenever possible and/or appropriate.
As we grow in our
faith, we become more able to “swing ourselves”…but we all still enjoy a
little push from a friend once in a while. Who’s giving you the
inspiration and support you need these days…and who are you uplifting in
return?
©2015 Debbie Robus
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