"A Christlike People"

Wednesday, May 19, 2010 (5:33 a.m.)

Lord,

♫Everyone needs compassion, love that’s never failing Let mercy fall on me♫ Mercy. Compassion. Love. Blessed Lord, these are powerful words. Words I long to incorporate into my very being.

Oh Most Dear and Blessed Lord, I sit here digging into Your Word wondering what You’d like to teach me today. There are New Testament letters and Old Testament prophets each vying for my attention. The desire of my heart and soul right now is to somehow have my mind expanded that I could take it all in at once.

Paul wrote to the Ephesians about living as ‘a new person’ (4:17-32) and ‘a child of the light’ (5:1-20). Lord, I keep reading and in The Bible Handbook I see all these verses encompassed under the title “A Christlike People”. Oh yes Lord! Make us into Your Christlike people!

Subtitles tell of “The New Self” (4:17-25), “The New Relationships” (4:25-5:2) and “The New Lifestyle” (5:3-20). Lord, it all reads so ‘doable’! Make it so Dear Lord. Turn us into a Christlike people!

Two side-notes concerning relationships send me back over to the Old Testament. Zechariah was told by You (8:16) “Here is your part: Tell the truth. Be fair. Live at peace with one another.” And when dealing with anger the psalmist explains, “Stand before the Lord in awe, and do not sin against Him. Lie quietly upon your bed in silent meditation. Put your trust in the Lord, and offer Him pleasing sacrifices.” (Psalm 4:4-5)

Eugene H. Peterson minced no words in his interpretation here in The Message, “Complain if you must, but don’t lash out. Keep your mouth shut, and let your hearts do the talking. Build your case before God and wait for His verdict.”

Oh that we will learn to be these people Lord. Patient. Kind. Loving. Merciful. Compassionate. As I sit trying to consider all that You are and everything that You do a different song comes to my mind and heart. Thank You God that my humming was enough to prompt Terry’s singing ♫Oh, praise Him Alleluia♫ the same words I had. One further look back at Sunday’s notes from church and I had the hymn. ♫All creatures of our God and King Lift up your voice and with us sing Oh, praise Him Alleluia♫

Oh yes Lord, let Your Christlike people sing! Let us love. Let us worship. Let us obey. All for the opportunity of truly being a Christlike people! ♫Oh praise Him Alleluia♫

Thank You Lord. Amen.

(423 words ~ 7:21 a.m.)