The Wednesday Word 8.17.2022

 

Titus 2:11-14 New Living Translation

11 For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. 12 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

The Upper Room “New Every Morning” free devotional appears in my email box every day. I highly recommend subscribing (look for it at www.upperroom.org). There’s always a snippet from a meaningful book, then Scriptures and additional material for those who desire a deeper dive. The Holy Spirit has a way of dropping things in your lap when you least expect it. Our late friend, Judy Walker, called these “pearls.” This week’s readings reminded me of how I once tried to describe what happens as we learn more and more about Our Savior.

My parents described the aftermath of the first time they tried to feed me beets. Spewed all over the high chair, my mom and me! I loathed them throughout my childhood. Sometime in my forties, I tried them again. I love, love, love them now! Just as our tastes and our bodies change as we grow, so does how we view and relate to the world as we grow in our experience of the Living God. By learning more and more about Jesus, we can start to see things from a new perspective that may have been foreign to us before. Terms we have heard in the past take on new meanings. Things like “Blessed Assurance” and “Because He Lives” are not just song titles, they come to life and become sources of comfort and joy. With God’s help, the power of fear and worry and anxiety diminishes and is increasingly replaced by love and strength and hope. With His help, we can begin to live the life God’s own people are intended to live. A life filled with love…something to pray about.

Don’t forget to look for the Lord today. Vicki H.

                                                                                photp by Monika Grabkowska on Unsplash

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