Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 August 2026 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
1 Thessalonians 5:17. ‘Pray without ceasing.’
Oh friends, it’s another glorious summer’s day in my neck of the woods! Bright sunshine and cool breezes make it an excellent day to be out and about outdoors, but sadly I’m stuck in here writing the Bit. (smile) But that’s okay, it’s my own fault for not starting earlier so that I could finish earlier. Anyway, as they say, all good things to an end must come, and thus the Caribana celebrations and all the other festivities of the past weekend are now over and done with, and we’re back to the daily grind and common task of work, work, and more work. But work is a good thing, there are many benefits to it, we just have to learn to balance it with our play time.
And since the Lord has granted us more breath of life to see today, let’s keep our promise from yesterday of continuing to look at the interesting article in poem form from the July In Touch Devotional. It reads: ‘This is how you move forward in faith: by remembering where God has taken you so far and staying open to where He’ll take you tomorrow. This is how you show up: by carrying your LOVED ones as you go, every hour, every day – not perfectly but faithfully holding them in prayer.
This is how you move beyond what’s comfortable: by LOVING sacrificially, doing right by everyone, honouring this life you’ve been entrusted with. Even on the long days, the boring days, the wish-it-were-already-tomorrow days. Remaining steady, present with the people around you. Knowing God is carrying you through. We’re here for that journey. All of it.’
Yes friends, it’s all true’ there are certain things we need to do in this life and certain Christian or godly ways of doing them. Now, yesterday we dealt with the first aspect of the poem,; moving forward in faith, using the example of Bruh David’s life. Let’s look now at the second aspect; how you show up. And they say you do that by constantly carrying your LOVED ones; faithfully keeping them in your prayers as you go through this life. In general, it’s like Bruh Paul says in 1 Thessalonians: ‘Pray without ceasing.’ (1 Thess. 5:17) Meaning prayer should be a constant in our lives, or have an attitude of prayer.
And also like he says in Ephesians: ‘Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for the all saints.’ (Eph .6:18) That’s about praying for all believers, but there are prayers we could use for our LOVED ones in particular, like this one drawn from Deuteronomy 30:6: ‘Lord, circumcise my LOVED one’s heart so that he/she may LOVE you with all his/her heart and with all his/her soul, and live.’
And this one drawn from Psalm 51 – Bruh David’s plea for forgiveness. ‘Have mercy O Lord on my LOVED one, according to your unfailing LOVE, according to your compassion blot out his/her transgressions. Wash away his/her iniquity and cleanse him/her from all unrighteousness.’ (Ps. 51:1) And like this one drawn from Proverbs: ‘Father, my LOVED one’s heart is in your hands, direct it like a river wherever you please.’ (Prov. 21:1) And there are many other scriptures from which we can extrapolate or convert to prayers for our LOVED ones, but keeping them prayed up is a must.
And the last aspect of the poem is: ‘This is how you move beyond what’s comfortable:’ Now that won’t sit right with many of us, because we all LOVE our comfort, especially in these times when almost everything is being done to make us as comfortable as possible. But that’s not the Christian way; it’s not the example that Christ showed when He was down here on earth. No! Christ’s way is a sacrificial way. It doesn’t dwell solely on comfort, but on ways to help others. And wherever help is involved, sacrifice will most likely be there also.
And there’s nothing to upend our comfort like reminding us of Christ’s desire for His followers. (smile) ‘If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) Yes mih bredrin, an uncomfortable sacrificial life is the possible lot of a believer in Christ Jesus. It won’t always be such, but if it does turn out to be like that, then we’re supposed to embrace it like Christ embraced His sacrificial life down here.
That’s why the author of Hebrews could write: ‘Looking unto Jesus the author (originator) and finisher (perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction (hostility) of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint (be discouraged) in your minds (souls).’ (Heb. 12:2-3)
Undoubtedly my fellow believers, Jesus is the best example of living the uncomfortable sacrificial life, for He did as the poem says: by LOVING sacrificially, doing right by everyone, honouring the life He was entrusted with. Even on the long, bad and boring days. Remaining steady, present with the people around Him, because He knew that God would carry Him through the job He was sent down here to do. Likewise, so should we, since we too ‘Are here for that journey. All of it.’
And having refreshed our minds and souls with some of our godly purposes and requirements, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
That means we now have to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE him like we do! Much LOVE!
…the big thing in Christ’s life was sacrifice…and so should it also be…in the lives of Christians…
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