Power of God!

 “[Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom]

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
 -1 Corinthians 1:18

3:12 As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
3:13 Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
3:14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 




3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.

3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.

3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  Colossians 3:12-17

Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise.  - Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NRSV)

While taking Marius out for some grandpa-grandson time, I was preoccupied. Usually, I would have played some children’s praise music, but I had forgotten to turn it on. I heard Marius asking from the backseat, “Where’s our music, Grandpa?”We maneuvered through traffic with the music playing, but again my mind wandered to work and the impossible deadlines I faced. I was resting my head on my hand when Marius asked, “What’s wrong, Grandpa?”I told him I had a headache.

 Then I heard him praying, “God, please help Grandpa to feel better. Amen.” As we drove on a bit further, Marius requested a favorite Bible story, “Tell me the story about Samuel, when he was sleeping.” I told the story. When Marius wanted to hear it again, I did a replay. As we reached our destination, I realized that my grandson, not I, had been the teacher that day — and why Jesus told us to model our lives of faith on that of little children.


 If we praise God, if we identify the needs of others and pray for their hurts, if we love and tell the stories of faith, we will live well. I have made the Christian life way too complicated. To Marius, it is simple.

 

The Author  Richard Lewis (California, USA)  from the Upper Room
 

Thought for the Day: Every person in our lives can teach us something that God wants us to know.

Prayer 

Dear God, teach us to live in your kingdom with the trust and simple honesty of little children. Amen.

Prayer focus   Those stressed by their jobs and families