Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Cover to Cover:Life Principles




Be very careful, then, how you live-- Ephesians 5:15



I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Ephesian 4:1



Two things lingered with me this week. Not two verses. There were so many to choose from once again. But two main thoughts. First was how passionate Paul was about convincing his reader. As I read, I could almost hear the desperation in his voice. Desperate that they would believe. Desperate that nothing would turn them away from his Lord. For many years I was not a huge fan of Paul. I felt he was wordy. After completing To Live is Christ, I felt I understood him better. It wasn't until reading through this year, maybe even this week, that I began to look at him as a passionate soul whose only real desires were to bring others to Christ and to instruct believers in how they should live. And it's a beautiful thing.

Perhaps this realization made the other thought linger this week. It seemed to me that Ephesians and Colossians were clearly instructing us in how to live. We are called to be:

Humble (Eph. 4:2)
Gentle (Eph. 4:2)
Patient (Eph. 4:2)
Bearing with one another in love (Eph. 4:2)
Speaking encouragement (Eph. 4:29)
Kind (Eph. 4:32)
Compassionate (Eph. 4:32)
Forgiving (Eph. 4:32)
Serve wholeheartedly (Eph. 6:7)

While I know these things, it means so much more to hear them in a voice of a man so passionately committed to Christ that he was willing to die for his Lord. In other words, these are not principles that can be easily overlooked or followed when I feel like it. These are my life principles. At a time of year when we say goodbye to old, bad habits (put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature... Colossians 3:5) and consider new ones,(Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12) I cannot think of a better list to work on.

We'd love to have you join us over at Bev's place for a recap of the week.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:7

6 comments:

Nise' said...

I am in the middle of To Live Is Christ! I love the thoughts about getting rid of the old, bad and working on new ones.

Abba's Girl said...

Amen Karen!

Angela Baylis said...

I'm working on the list, too sister! I needed to hear it again! I need to work on it "wholeheartedly". I need the Holy Spirit to make me desperate and have more of Him and less of me!
Love you!
Angie xoxo

Jules from "The Roost" said...

I LOVE how you spoke of Paul....Yes, it is a beautiful thing! Great post.

Anonymous said...

Wow...the first verse just hit me dead center today...how am I living today? We are in the midst of what the new stations called Artic Blast 2008...I think they have fun coming up with these names...ha...but my kids are out of school again today and they are crabby...thus mom is crabby...ugh!

I have a confession too...I wasn't always a fan of Paul's either...in college I found him kind of prideful always telling people to be like him...I think I misunderstood...you think?!

I am so glad you posted...it was a blessing!

Anonymous said...

That's a list I need to make as a New Year's resolution. The whole concept of being clothed in compassion, so covered that I exude His love--Paul's desperate passion--the thought of a do-over and being made new--all capture my heart in gratitude and desire to receive fully these gifts. May God bless you through the Christmas season and always as we await His coming. Love, Annette