Sunday, November 20, 2011

Serve in Love (Nov 20)

You, my brothers, were called to be free.  But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.  The entire law is summed up in a single command: "love your neighbor as yourself."  If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
                                            Galatians 5:13-15 NIV

Serve one another in love.  Quite a statement.  Love your neighbor as yourself.  Quite a command.  If all of humanity could follow those two statements literally, think of the transformation that the Spirit could effect in this world. 

If those two sentences could be followed closely, we would probably consider among those others, future generations, and as a result might be better stewards of our time, talents, treasures and of the gift we have in this world. 

Forgiveness plays a role here, for it must be present if love is to abound and to prevent us from going around biting and devouring each other. 

If one does not forgive another, one can damage oneself by carrying around negative feelings about that other person.  Forgiveness of another frees us from challenges we cause to ourselves by harboring resentment and other feelings.

What kind of challenges do you have with forgiveness of others?

How might your own unforgiveness of others effect you, your health, your relationships?

Pray for the Spirit to guide you to the place of forgiveness.

In Christ,


David P

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