WEDNESDAY DEVOTIONAL... Late again!! 1 Peter 4:8-10...And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Do your priorities change when you have a deadline? Good managers remind their staff that people dont do whats expected, the do whats inspected! Most of us know the feeling of cramming for a final exam or rushing to tidy a room before company arrives. But what about even bigger issues, like our main purpose for living? If we recognized a deadline for that, would we be more focused and intentional/ Scripture teaches that history itself has an ending point. 1 Peter 4:7...But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. The apostle Peter clarified what we are to do in light of the end of all things. of course, realizing history has a deadline makes seriousness and prayer essential, but we are also commanded to have fervent charity (love) among yourselves (for one another) The word fervent literally means to stretch out. We might say that we are to love beyond our comfort zone as the end nears. According to Scripture, that kind of stretched out love includes being hospitable, which is a combination of two Greek words - one meaning love of friends and the other strangers. So hospitality involves willingness to love those we do not know as if they are out brothers and sisters. The Christian message is revolutionary in every way, and we require Gods help if we hope to live it! No wonder Scripture reminds us here that we demonstrate this end time love when we exercise our spiritual gifts (v.10) when we love like that, we literally dispense the blessings of God toward others as a gift!
Posted on: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 22:50:26 +0000