I had a dream last night in which God asked me to surrender some recently acquired habits – to some people these things would be perfectly acceptable pastimes – but God could see that they had the potential to shift my focus and take my eyes of Jesus. Anyway, it's not these activities that I want to discuss but the manner in which the request was made. Jesus didn't demand but asked me to surrender in the most gentle and disarming way. There was no struggle here – he could have asked for anything and I would have given it. The exchange was one of absolute love. I have never had such a gentle nor as effective an interaction with Christ. Needless to say that, through his grace, I have gladly complied with his request. It is a truly wonderful thing to be loved by Christ!
Grace and peace, A
Today's bible readings:
1 Chronicles 4:9-5:26
Proverbs 18:6-16
My mouth has always been one of my greatest strengths and one of my worst weaknesses. I am an impulsive (and compulsive) speaker! A friend of mine once said to me 'Andre your mind is like diamonds in mud, we all hang around and listen because every now and again a diamond falls out but most of the time all we get is mud!'
I want to introduce some quality control into my talking!
Today's reading from Proverbs chapter 18 mentions the mouth three times:
7 A fool's mouth is his undoing,
and his lips are a snare to his soul.
8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to a man's inmost parts.
13 He who answers before listening—
that is his folly and his shame.
I have been guilty of all three of these things: speaking foolishly, gossiping and answering before listening (indeed even before the other person has finished speaking!)
"Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips." Psalm 141:3
Romans 11:5-11:32
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