SCRIP-BITS

Colossians 1:11.    Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.
 
Oh Friends, contrary to popular opinion, our God is a most merciful, gracious and ever-LOVING Deity! And the particular reason for my saying so this morning? Well earlier on, after one of my tiring bathroom bouts, I was lying in bed musing on my tiredness, when suddenly I felt a sharp though fleeting pain in my right knee, and instead of anger and/or trepidation, I began to chuckle. Why, you wonder? Because I then realized the strategy the Good Lord had used on me. While the prostate stuff was in its preliminary stages, He moved my focus off it, by having me concentrate more on my aching knees. But would you believe that from the day of surgery, I couldn’t truly say that I have knee problems. Granted some of that is attributable to the pain killers, but I have hardly taken any in the last few days, and yet I climb the stairs, get up and sit down with no problems from my knees. Like earlier on this morning, every so often I feel the odd twinge in one of them, but that’s usually while I’m at rest, not even moving around. Now, since the prostate problem has become public enemy #1, the Lord has changed the strategy; He’s eased me up with the knees. And all I can say is: ‘Thank you God, thank you!’ For believe me people, I couldn’t have handled both the knees and the prostate problems together. As I merely consider what it would have been like, tears form in my eyes, and I just have to give God the glory. Oh Friends, would you believe that I had to stop writing for a few minutes because a sudden bout of sobbing overtook me when I considered having both sets of pain together? Ah Lord eh! And like this crying thing ain’t done yet either! (smile) However Friends, turning to our Bit: ‘Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.’ Well, according to the scholars: ‘Patience is persevering through problems, trials, tribulations, and so forth. Longsuffering is forbearing the faults and offences of others.’ And that certainly was, and is still Jesus’ way. But we all know that going through hard times with a good attitude, or putting up with and forgiving those who wrong us, is much easier said than done. Those are probably the hardest pats of Jesus’ programme to come to terms with, but unfortunately they are also the most important, because they manifest the true LOVE that Jesus desires us to show to each other. As Bruh Paul instructed the Ephesians, re unity of the Spirit: ‘I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation (calling) wherewith ye are called. With all lowliness and meekness (gentleness), with long-suffering, forbearing (bearing with) one another in LOVE; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.’ (Eph.4:1-3) Yes my people, we’re supposed to do all in our power to keep peace in Christ’s church. And not to merely keep peace, but also to do it with joyfulness! Now that’s certainly a hard row to hoe! But in that respect, we have the glorious example of the apostles in the early church, when the elders found them guilty of unlawfully preaching Jesus crucified: ‘…and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus (as the) Christ.’ (Acts 5:40-42) Oh what a wonderful testimony my brethren! The apostles were beaten to stop spreading the gospel, but they continued, counting it worthy to suffer for Christ. How can we do any less eh, especially when we live in easier and more civilized times? Please let our consciences convict us, and have us seriously trying to live the life Christ requires of us. Much LOVE!…to know, know, know Him…is to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Him…and to want to be just like Him…