Skip to main content

Monday... Now this can make such a difference.


Monday... Now this can make such a difference.

The Apostle Paul over in the Acts of the Apostles in the NT of the Bible was being handed over and over to many different leaders. The Jews were wanting him killed for what he was telling about Jesus and His Resurrection. They hated him and now in chapter 26:1 (NLT) it says, "Then Agrippa said to Paul, 'You may speak in your defense.'"  

We have this happening over and over with our five year old granddaughter. At five it seems that she is always in trouble and she wants to tell her side and it is very important to her to be allowed to do that. And it also is very important for each of the members of each of our families and even ourselves to be able to do that.

The Apostle Paul in verse 3 (NLT) says something that we want to say when we are in a difficult situation and telling our side. He says, "Now please listen to me patiently." We so many times want and need to say that and we also need to do that, don't we? Now of course with a five year old it seems like that is all we would be doing. But it also is very important.

Our five year old and her family are staying with us and this statement by Paul hit me. We too many times say what we say and don't want to hear the other side, especially a five year old and especially when it is us. But there are times that we need to listen patiently and we need to be listened to patiently, especially in our families. And this was a time that Paul really needed to have this King listen to him patiently. King Agrippa needed to hear the whole story. And so many times we do too.

Listening patiently to our kids, grandkids, our spouse, our parents, and our friends, is one of those showing we love them times.  It is amazing what a difference listening patiently does in our relationships. There are so many people who need to be listened to patiently and there are so many times that we also want to say, "Now please listen to me patiently."

For Paul it meant whether he was in prison or not and also whether he was killed or not. And it was also very important for the King to hear because it could mean a change of life for him. Listening patiently can change our life and hearing the Good News of Christ's Resurrection and the difference it will make in our life and their life is definitely one of them.

Just a very good thought from God's Word that can make such a difference. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do

Psalm 8:3-4 (NLT), "When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers - the moon and the stars you set in place - what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?" Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do. No, not the fact that I can go out my front door and look out at night at the marvels of the sky. I can do that and it is amazing and it takes my breath away each time I see it. Yes, that is a fact but the reality of who did that and the wisdom and the faith that I have to believe that and to marvel that the one who did that cares about me makes such a difference in how I live my life. Yes, God really does. That is so wonderful for us to believe. And that is why faith and wisdom are so important. Now whatever belief you have at how that marvel happened must also be believed through faith. And the sad thing to me is that more and more people have been taught that there is no God and therefore he did not have a h...

Tuesday... Each one of us see and describe what we are going through differently but...

Tuesday... Each one of us see and describe what we are going through differently but... We each one have our own way of explaining what we are going through, don't we?  Some of us are maximisers, other are minimizers and neither one is better. We each one are different and we see what we are facing differently but no matter what it is and how you see it and describe it, God can handle it!  Now the writer of Psalm 46 shows the extremes. In verse 1 he states the basic reality and then he moves on into our fears and he maximizes them to make sure we really understand. Here is what Psalm 46:1-3 (NLT) says, "God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!" So what do you fear? The Amplified Bible says verse 1 this way, "God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable], a very presen...

Wednesday... It didn't just happen.

Psalm 16;10 (NLT), "For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave." Wednesday... It didn't just happen. We are headed into a weekend of deep emotion. One that we really really love was killed and it didn't just happen. David in Psalm 16:10 (NLT) writes of this happening. He says about God, "For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave." We read over in the Gospels at the beginning of the New Testament in the Bible of the life of God's Son who came to earth to be our sacrifice so that our soul would not be left among the dead. Jesus came so that we wouldn't have to be buried at death and just left there. But he also shares that Jesus who was going to be killed as a sacrifice for our sins would not have to rot in a grave. David many generations before foretold this and that is what happened. Now that had to be a God thing. We can guess a lot about our future and we d...