BY She Reads Truth
Take this day to catch up on your reading, pray, and rest in the presence of the Lord.
Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.
—Romans 12:12
21 thoughts on "Grace Day"
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This is such a simple, yet powerful verse. It applies to all, in any stage in life,
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Cynthia, praying for comfort for you and your family. And praying for the many others who post their prayer requests here as well. It’s such an honor and privilege to take your requests before our God who is more than able to answer each one perfectly. How He loves us! What joy your father is experiencing now, Cynthia. His body completely healthy, fully restored, more alive than he has ever been. Praising God! Feel His strong embrace. You do not grieve as those without hope.
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Needed this today as we drive home for my Daddy’s funeral. He is in the presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ completely healed of COVID and pneumonia.♥️
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It’s Sunday and I’m just now getting this. My heart is with you Cynthia.
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I realize my response is quite different than everyone else’s, but God has led me on my journey differently in sociology-political affairs. As a Christian, I am a slave to Christ and my focus is on God’s Kingdom, not this fallen earthly one. I would like to remind everyone and even encourage you not to use the life and sacrifice of Jesus to focus on worldly situations that actually take focus far, far away from our Father and from our sole purpose in our earthly lives and that is glorifying God by being messengers of the Good News. That news is that Jesus came to this earth for all. There are no races. There are only sinners. We are all sinners and all sins are equal. A racist is someone who doesn’t know the love of Christ. That is the problem and that is where our focus should be. A person who experiences racism without offering loving patience and forgiveness doesn’t know the love of Christ. That is where our focus should be. Sisters, please remember that all of those who are lost amidst political strife should be our focus. We ourselves cannot take sides against anyone as we are to love and share Jesus with everyone. That is why Jesus focused on the lost. He ministered to the oppressed and the oppressors the same. Paul, when he returned the slave to the master did not ask for the slave to be freed but for the master to consider him a brother. Why? Nothing on this earth should be focused on society or politics and especially not one “color” over another. The Fall led people to begin social classes from the beginning and it will always be that way. I, of course, have never agreed with slavery or racism in any form or fashion and I am certainly not defending it. Our single focus is on the Father alone. We are falling into the trap that the devil sets to separate us. We should not be acknowledging it. Our ministry is to all, equally. Please remember that there is only one type of privilege and that is the privilege of being the Body of Christ.
I pray that my post is taken as I intended it and that is simply to encourage all of us to look more toward heaven and less toward the devil at work around us. Whether we are filled with contempt and anger, or plagued by our dislikes based on color preference or whether we are judging those on either side, we are no different and none of us our glorifying the Father this way. I have to pray for forgiveness and guidance constantly when I see what is going on in this world and what I feel about it, but I am always reassured knowing that my God is in control and that I just need to pray for everyone involved and continue to try to share Jesus’ love with everyone, without judgment or condemnation as that is not my purpose or my right.
I hope everyone has a wonderful day. -
Elisha Anne was liking how the translation she had said, “constant” in prayer, so I did some comparing and found across several translations devoted, constant, faithful, persistent, and to keep on praying. Also I looked at the entire paragraph. In some, verses 10-12 are one run on sentence, but one sentence or many the thought starts with loving each other as brothers.
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I know there’s so much going on in our world today. And none of us like it. I try to remind myself that this world is not our home we’re just passing through. Meanwhile I will do my best to remain hopeful, patient, and faithful to the one and only true God who doesn’t color. I love this song: Who You Say I Am by Hillsong 
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*I should have said, “some responses of the oppressed add fuel to the fire” for not all responses of those experiencing oppression are sinful.
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On Saturdays I am doing another study with a friend and today we were in Ephesians 2:11-16. Here Paul is talking about how Christ “himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.” As I read some of the latter comments of yesterday’s study and some of today regarding white privilege and the continued systemic racism in our culture, I’m grieved with hope. I agree with you who have said that we need to begin with identifying what is truly going on. Because the hostility is within both the oppressor and the oppressed, it’s important to seek the face of our Lord for his wisdom, guidance and power to help us walk in truth and love.
I know from personal experience that very real oppression can bring one to sin in response to it. As it’s already been said, systemic racism is acutely real. Yet, the responses of the oppressed have added fuel to the fire rather than helped to bring about true change. I’m again reminded that the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of man. But Christ…he has done a work to break down the hostility between the oppressed and the oppressor. Oh may the church become such a display of this good work of our precious Lord. Let us be people who admit white privilege exists while not falling prey to joining violent protests. Let us be the chosen people of God who love our oppressed neighbors with weeping for their suffering while pointing them to the One who took on their hurt and their own sin.
(BEV: Your words toward me yesterday were encouraging and humbling. For if any “intelligent words” come from me, I boast in the Lord in my weakness, because I know how hard it is to think through the brain fog I have so often because of my illness. His grace is surely sufficient. His power is made perfect in weakness. To God be the glory! Amen.)
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