October 22 – The Forgiven / Forgive

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:31-32 (ESV)

If we let our guard down, it is easy to find ourselves in conflict with others and that conflict leads to attitudes and actions unbecoming our profession in Jesus Christ. Our verse today cautions each of us about attitudes and actions that are unpleasant. “Bitterness” is a smoldering resentment. “Wrath” is an outburst of rage. “Anger” is internal, feelings of hostility. “Clamor” is brawling, the outcry of strife out of control. “Slander” is evil speaking. “Malice” is the general term for ill will toward others. The six vices are responded to with three commands. being kind is doing what is suitable or fitting to a need. being compassionate is having inner emotions of affection. in forgiving we give freely and graciously. Those who have been forgiven so much by God should, of all people, forgive the relatively small offenses against them by others. Kindness, compassion and forgiveness are what Christ has toward us and we did not deserve it. God exemplified these in Christ. We are promised forgiveness by God and by his grace and help we can forgive each other. 

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April 28 – Waiting Rather than Fretting

“Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.” – Psalm 37:8-9 (ESV)

In this passage and in this whole Psalm 37 we’re instructed to not fret. ‘Fret’ is not a word with popular use but we understand what it means. ‘Fret’ is used for what is gnawing at us, eating away our insides, or causing us emotional stress. Even passing time uselessly is fretting, becoming vexed or worried, and there are others. Worried is the most familiar definition. Our instruction first of all to avoid fretful anger and wrath which leads us to do evil. Forget the evildoers who make us angry. Especially those who prosper at their evil doing. Politicians who abuse their power and amass wealth from their deals in office – don’t fret about them, or crooked business men who scoff at the law, cut corners to gain power, fame, and fortune. Celebrity who scoffs God and those while using their fame to capture an audience. Yet, even offended people continue to buy tickets, continue to add to their bank accounts. Endless examples exist. But God promises first, the evildoers will have their day, they will be cut off AND we who don’t fret, but wait for the Lord, will be rewarded with promised inheritance and eternal life.

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December 1 – God's Love Abounds

“The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,”  - Exodus 34:6  (ESV)

One image that comes to mind from these words about God is that of a fresh spring of pure water that bubbles up to the surface, providing a limitless supply of pure water.  Never drying up during the greatest drought it gives and gives and gives for century after century.  Available to all who come to draw the water.  That is the idea of 'abounding' in steadfast love and faithfulness. We might think of the power of a perpetual volcano that pours out an endless flow of lava from deep in the earth and is like the love of God that never ends for us.  It comes from the very core of God's character, His absolute existence and omnipotence.  This verse was how God described Himself to Moses as He, a second time, inscribed the Ten Commandments on the new stone tablets. They were and are the essential elements of the Law given to Moses. In anguish over the sin of the people, Moses had smashed the first tablets but God reminds Moses that He is merciful, gracious and slow to anger.  That is what our God is and He abounds in all of it.   

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