Fri, Aug 7, 2009
The growing work.
Jesus has saved us through his death and resurrection, once.. and for all. Period. We. Are. Saved. But, in the Message version of v.5 we read: "don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given"
If salvation is the ultimate gift to which nothing can be added, what's with the 'building on what you've been given' language? Try this image: if I give a gift to my daughter... something she has been pining for, something she doesn't deserve, and something she knows was a long shot... she couldn't add anything to the wonderfulness of the surprise and the reality of that gift. It's been given, it's been received.
But. She can choose to honor both the giver and the gift by being grateful, by using the gift wisely, even looking for ways that it can help her or help others.
Perhaps it's the same with our lives.
We honor both the giver and the gift by "complementing [our] basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others." (the Message)
Said another way: "Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone." (NLT)
The intent is not to say that we are on our own in conjuring up these qualities. In the story of my daughter and her long-awaited gift, one of the ways she can honor the gift and the giver is by asking me to show her how to best use this new thing... finding the tricks and tips that really bring it to life in her hands.
Again, same with us. We go to the Giver and say 'Thank you for your amazing gift of grace. You have saved me by your love and your power. There is nothing I can do but fall at your feet and thank you. But as I move through my life today, show me how I can grow, since you have freed me from darkness. I know I still fail in being self-controlled. Help me with that. Speak in my heart when I need to hold back my words, or change my course of action/reaction...'
This the work of growing.
Believing.
Asking.
Listening.
Obeying.
If salvation is the ultimate gift to which nothing can be added, what's with the 'building on what you've been given' language? Try this image: if I give a gift to my daughter... something she has been pining for, something she doesn't deserve, and something she knows was a long shot... she couldn't add anything to the wonderfulness of the surprise and the reality of that gift. It's been given, it's been received.
But. She can choose to honor both the giver and the gift by being grateful, by using the gift wisely, even looking for ways that it can help her or help others.
Perhaps it's the same with our lives.
We honor both the giver and the gift by "complementing [our] basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others." (the Message)
Said another way: "Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone." (NLT)
The intent is not to say that we are on our own in conjuring up these qualities. In the story of my daughter and her long-awaited gift, one of the ways she can honor the gift and the giver is by asking me to show her how to best use this new thing... finding the tricks and tips that really bring it to life in her hands.
Again, same with us. We go to the Giver and say 'Thank you for your amazing gift of grace. You have saved me by your love and your power. There is nothing I can do but fall at your feet and thank you. But as I move through my life today, show me how I can grow, since you have freed me from darkness. I know I still fail in being self-controlled. Help me with that. Speak in my heart when I need to hold back my words, or change my course of action/reaction...'
This the work of growing.
Believing.
Asking.
Listening.
Obeying.
From the YouVersion Blog RSS Feed
Videos for you to use Introducing YouVersion Live to your Group, Church or Event
Below are a couple resources we wanted to pass on to all of you who have been creating groups and events... Read more »
