"with these last words"

Labor Day Monday, September 1, 2014 (7:51 a.m.)

Holy Three-in-One,

Gracious Jesus. Loving God. Present Holy Spirit. I read Your Word. I consider Your call on my life. I want to heed and obey Your best for me.

The apostle Paul urged the church at Corinth as “I close my letter with these last words: Rejoice. Change your ways. Encourage one another. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Corinthians 13:11 New Living Translation).

Trusting, believing, counting on Your grace, love and presence (v. 13) I look to various translations of Paul's words. “Aim at perfection. Listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace...” (Illustrated Bible Handbook).

The Message, “Be cheerful. Keep things in good repair. Keep your spirits up. Think in harmony. Be agreeable.”

Worldwide English, “Be what you should be. Listen to what I say. Be good to each other. Agree with one another...”

The Voice, “keep rejoicing and repair whatever is broken. Encourage each other, think as one...”

Revised Standard Version, “Mend your ways...”

And just as I feel myself starting to think this is all on me to do. To change. To become. I read the slightest nuance between two different versions:

King James, “Be perfect, be of good comfort...”

and

American Standard, “Be perfected; be comforted...”

It's not on me to do the perfecting or the comforting. That's on the Three of You! Continue Your work in doing all You must to keep me out of Your way as You work YOUR will in my life.

As I prepare to go out into the day, let me take the whole of the Amplified Bible's translation with me.

“Finally, brethren, farewell (rejoice)! Be strengthened (perfected, completed, made what you ought to be); be encouraged and consoled and comforted; be of the same [agreeable] mind one with another; live in peace and [then] the God of love [Who is the Source of affection, goodwill, love, and benevolence toward men] and the Author and Promoter of peace will be with you.”

Work in me as You must. Grow me into the God fearing, Jesus loving, Holy Spirit dependent woman You would have me be.

I love You. I trust You. I ask, I seek, I knock (Matthew 7:7). Show me. Grow me. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(393 words ~ 9:09 a.m.)