LIVING AN INTERESTING LIFE

LIVING AN INTERESTING LIFE

Sunday, September 15, 2013

  “We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this [personal religious convictions and practices]. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.”[Ps.69:9] Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

  May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

  Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors. He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them. That is what the psalmist meant when he wrote: “For this, I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing praises to your name.”[Ps.18:49]

  And in another place it is written, “Rejoice with his people, you Gentiles.”[Deut.32:43]

  And yet again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles. Praise him, all you people of the earth.”[Ps.117:1]

  And in another place Isaiah said, “The heir to David’s throne will come, and he will rule over the Gentiles. They will place their hope on him.”[Isa.11:1, 10]

  I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” NLT Romans 15:1-13

  I don’t understand boredom as it’s not notable in my catalogue of experiences. A friend that suffers ennui says with dark humor it should be called bore-doom because it’s depressing.

  Fact is much of what we do is considered mundane and routine. Among routine repeat tasks that I completed this past week was washing, drying, hanging, folding, and putting clothes away. Nothing exciting about this, right? I hear from some that it’s boring and not at all like the way TV ads picture it.

  I’m not telling you that I dance and sing with detergent in hand held high while tossing mixed colors into the sloshing vat.

  What I am saying is that knowing and holding fast to godly blessed assurance makes for joyful attitude in presence of humming washer and dryer or happily hymn singing with congregation as I plan on doing later this morning.

  Profound interest is neither a task or place. It is manner; the matter of attitude resultant from the “confident hope” spoken of in Romans 15:13: A percolating expectation and anticipation both abstract and concrete in all we do.

  This personal percolation includes our praying for and working at edification of others. If you are not doing so already, please join in His eternal interesting life.  EBB4