Expanding

I often think of a component of Christian growth and maturity as our ability to see God's Word in an ever-expanding context. As a young Christian years ago, I would read God's Word and often not understand...but I could keep reading and eventually find something, somewhere that I could comprehend and relate to. It might have just been phrase or a small verse...and I would hang on to it...memorize it. And, with the Holy Spirit's guidance and wisdom, as time passes, I am excited to learn more and more about the context that I am reading, how it is relevant, and how I can apply it to MY life!

Now to share one example from today...I've been reading and studying I Thessalonians...Paul, Silas and Timothy's letter to the church in Thessalonica. Just reading the ending chapter (chapter 5), I gain so much instruction about how to live - sort of like "logisitics" of the Christian life. But, by expanding my thought processes and looking at the contexts of Paul's life, his history of persecuting Christians, his journeys, his own sufferings for the cause of Christ...and SO MUCH MORE...it just brings this passage to LIFE!

And, at this particular time in my own life...it's relevance just overwhelms me!!! And, this is what I love about digging into God's Word...loving the Word of God. As you allow it to work in you, it speaks right to the heart of your personal life and circumstances.

-I Thessalonians 5: 14-26
14 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.
15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.
16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not scoff at prophecies, 21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 24 God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.
25 Dear brothers and sisters, pray for us.
26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with Christian love.

Tough calls sometimes...for me...maybe for you. I am a work in progress. I am working on being all Christ would have me be. I am going to do my best to live by His Word - I hope others will join me. It's all for the sake of the call! We can do it for Christ's sake...not our own.
May HE, and HE alone, be glorified!