priority

Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020 (5:49 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You! It’s Easter. “He is risen! He is risen indeed!” Thank You for this blessing.

To be so loved by You is such a gift. A privilege. An honor. Let us use it well Dearest Lord.

Thank You for teaching us to value You above all things. Loving and following You is truly our priority. Our ”First Thing” to absolutely be put first.

Father, as I looked through Your Word for other verses, Matthew 16:33 kept showing up first. There it is that we are reminded to seek first Your Kingdom. Our main priority. Thank You Lord. Thank You for the reminders.

As I truly seek to honor and glorify You, to love You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30) and my neighbors as myself (v. 31) I ask that You empower and enable me in the execution of Romans 14:19.

The Passion Translation tells us, “So then, make it your top priority to live a life of peace with harmony in your relationships, eagerly seeking to strengthen and encourage one another.” Lord God, how truly I desire such an outcome.

Other versions speak of pursuing “what makes for peace and mutual upbuilding.” Following after and doing “the things that make peace and that help each other do better.” Oh yes Blessed God! Yes that we would help each other do better!

Here, from New Testament for Everyone, “So, then, let’s find and follow the way of peace, and discover how to build each other up.” Oh, yes please Lord! Let me find, follow and discover.

“… and things whereby one may support another” (New Matthew Bible).

“So let us try to do what makes peace and helps one another” (New Century Version; International Children’s Bible).

This from The Message, “So let’s agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words; don’t drag them down by finding fault.”

Oh yes Dearest Lord! As I look to You and continue reading other translations for this verse I come to J.B. Phillips New Testament. “So let us concentrate on the things which make for harmony, and on the growth of one another’s character.”

(9:28 a.m.)

Holy God, how I thank You that because of this current time of physical distancing, we have the opportunity to connect again with our “home” church in Hawaii. Thank You for blessing us with such an incredible message of hope. Especially at this time!

Yes Father. You provide us with so many possibilities. Let our choices glorify You!

Reading in Good News Translation, I find yet another way of saying what has already been said. “So then, we must always aim at those things that bring peace and that help strengthen one another.” Yes please!

(12:47 p.m.)

All these hours and some church services later I am still grateful Father. You are so incredibly good to us. And oh how we thank You.

Do all You must that we would live this day in full esteem and reverence to Who and ALL You are. We love You Lord. We thank You for Your sacrifice. And we long to glorify and enjoy You forever. Thank You Jesus. Happy Resurrection Sunday! Amen.

(554 words ~ 12:54 p.m.)