All right! It's time to settle into another part of Scripture for a while as God continues to speak to you and me today from these ancient writings that were inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit. I'm moving from prophecy to epistle--which is just a fancy church word for letter. Would you like to join me in the Letter to the Philippians? It's about half way through the New Testament. It was written by the apostle Paul to Christians living in the Greek city of Philippi.
But we're not here for an academic Bible study in this blog. We're here to listen to God's voice and what he is wanting to say to us as we sit for a few minutes with him each day. Let's start out with the first seven verses of chapter one. Go ahead and take it for a spin. It may seem too short, but that's because we're in too much of a hurry and we tend to skim over Scripture. Instead, soak in in. Get drenched in these seven verses for a few minutes. Pay attention to every little phrase and what its significance might be in your life right now. Let these words shape your heart today. That is the real purpose of the Bible.
For me, I'm immediately attracted to two very powerful words and the way they can change everything about my life and the world:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (v. 2)
Grace and peace. Grace......and peace........ The early Christians commonly greeted each other that way. St. Paul so often extended this greeting as he opened his many letters that are part of our Bibles. He extended grace and peace to the people he was writing to. Our world could use a whole lot more grace and peace, don't you agree?
Let's narrow it down a little further, though. If you're a married person, could your relationship with your mate be blessed by a much more generous serving of grace and peace? What would happen if suddenly you felt free enough from anger and resentment to offer grace and peace to your coworkers or your boss? What if I extended grace and peace to others as freely as Paul did? Would that be a change for the better or the worse? Would I be happier or less happy? What about the others in my life? What about my children? Would they be happier and more vibrant if I were to bring twice as much grace and peace into our relationship as I give them now? Or would they go crazy and grow up to be communist drug smugglers living in Southern California??
When someone--especially a fellow Christ-follower--is beating themselves up about a mistake they made, what if I looked them in the eyes and said, "Hey, grace and peace to you"? What if I said this to myself when I'm beating myself up about one of my own boneheaded missteps? "Grace and peace, Chris. Grace and peace." What if, when someone who has offended me or let me down offers a simple, sincere apology, I were to respond by saying, "You know what? Grace and peace about all of that"? Would my life and relationships be healthier and happier or more stressful and dysfunctional?
In a dog-eat-dog world is it possible to live a life of grace and peace? It is if I remember that God isn't through with people. He's not through with my mate, my children, my boss. He's sure not through with me. That's what Paul went on to affirm a couple of sentences later about his readers: "...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (v. 6). Yeah, that's it! What if I remember that God has poured his grace and peace upon my life and that we're all still works in progress! Maybe I'd like the world I begin to help create...a world where the prevailing dynamic in all my relationships is grace. I might find myself with a lot more peace.
Are you beating yourself up right now about how little grace and peace you've been extending to someone? Well....grace and peace to you. Please share your impressions of what God is speaking to your heart. Comment below (use Anonymous in the drop-down list unless you sign into your Google account first).
AMEN AMEN AMEN! Thank GOD He is NOT finished with us yet! Well, me anyway!!! It seems as though this pass week I have been crying out to God to change my heart, take away the fears and anxieties I have, then I read this and think. Grace and Peace.... Almost like repeating breathe in through the nose, out the the mouth, breathe in through the nose, out the the mouth. Sometimes we need to repeat that God gives us grace and peace beyond what we will ever understand to get us through a situation. I know I get frustrated with myself often, then God reminds me, today through this blog, that He isn't finished with me yet. And I may feel like I am a mess, but to Him, I am a beautiful mess, learning daily to rely and trust upon Him for my guidance and strength. For me, the hardest person to give grace and peace to, is myself. God, I thank You that You are not finished with me nor anyone else. Help me to realize that in myself and in others that I work with **PLEASE HURRY** ;o) and in my daily walk with You. We are works in progress!! Amen!
ReplyDeleteIt is comforting to know that God is not through with us yet, that we are works in progress.....and so is everyone else!
ReplyDeleteWhen I get frustrated with my child, my family, coworkers, or myself, for that matter, I need to remember that he is not done with us yet and extend grace and peace. Sometimes it's easier than others.....depending on the person and the situation. But, all of that should not matter to us as Christ followers! The world would be a better place if we focus as much attention on showing grace as we sometimes do on expressing our frustrations.
Thank you, Chris, for the reminder and encouragement! Grace and peace to you!
Michele
I am so in Need of grace and peace. I am drowning and feel like there is no end i am so tired and so on the edge
ReplyDeleteThat grace is there for you, my friend! Your feelings are very real but they can be so misleading. Trust what God has said to you. His grace is sufficient for you. His power is most effective when you are weak. Every one of his promises he will keep!
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