There are no degrees of greatness on earth. We all wrestle with evil. We aren't the example----Christ is. So, why do I still struggle to be somebody? It could be that my world shouts out to me that I have not arrived nor ever will. Maybe, it's my own words that I say to myself. Never the matter, it's not the question to ask. There are no big people and little people in God's Economy, not in this life even though our world is set up as the bigs and the littles.
So, what's the point here: Humble yourself as a child. Matthew 18:4.
PRAYER FROM PSALMS:
Father, teach me to calm and quiet this soul of mine.
Like a weaned child with its mother.
Help me to not root around looking to pacify my own soul.
May we rest in You, content in Your Arms.
Calm me down.
Quiet my soul.
Psalm 131:2
There is freedom in humility and coming to Jesus as a child.
ReplyDeleteMatthew 19:11-12 The Message "But Jesus said, “Not everyone is mature enough to live a married life. It requires a certain aptitude and grace. Marriage isn’t for everyone. Some, from birth seemingly, never give marriage a thought. Others never get asked—or accepted. And some decide not to get married for kingdom reasons. But if you’re capable of growing into the largeness of marriage, do it.”
ReplyDeleteI can say with certainly that nothing I've ever experienced has compared to the long-term state of our marriage. The thrills and the throes--I can't imagine where we'd be if we hadn't had to work at marriage. I love these verses not only because they are wise but because marriage was the vehicle most often God has used to grow me or at least point out the areas where I need to grow. And I love that it teaches me grace--both the giving and receiving sides to spacious unimaginable bounties of grace. Room to mess up and room to re-connect. A godly marriage is not only a teaching tool but a sweet place of refuge, a little laboratory for spiritual growth, and all at the same time an exasperatingly wild ride.
But for His Grace, no telling where I'd be. He's so good to redeem years that the locust have eaten, to restore and soften hearts, to reduce the selfish and to grow the grace within each of us. For me, marriage has been that vehicle.
I'm loving reading the stories of Jesus in The Message right now! So rich. So practical. So timely.
I love it. "If you are capable of growing into the largeness of it" --- that is precious. It is a rather large calling as we all are blind to our pride!
ReplyDeleteBoy, Amen to that. :)
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