The summer vacation is a time of change – to get out of any “rut” we find ourselves in, to look up, look around, look over any horizons we see, and also to look back at ourselves. This reflection – honestly done – is often revealing. We may realise habits that we have chosen to ignore in a busy-ness… “Purify my heart,” we pray. And in the Spirit’s spotlight we realise God’s grace… Sometimes worship songs help. This from Hillsong (King of Kings) –
In the darkness, we were waiting
Without hope, without light
'Til from Heaven You came running
There was mercy in Your eyes
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Love: We love because he first loved us (1 John 4: 19). See what great love the Father lavished on us, that we should be called children of God (1 John 3: 1). My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you (John 15: 12). Love never fails. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13).
Joy - finding: The Kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man [woman] found it, he [she] hid it again, and then in joy went and sold all and bought it (Mat 13: 44); working: and when he finds it he joyfully puts it on his shoulders (Luke 15: 5); overflowing: may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Spirit (Romans 15: 13)
Peace: Three quotes from John – words of Jesus:
“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (14: 27)
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you may have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world“ (16: 33)
Again, Jesus said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (20:21)
Patience: a person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offence (Pr. 19: 11).
Paul writes:… “and we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord, and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience” (Colossians 1: 10-11)
Peter: “So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this [the coming day of God], make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote to you about with the wisdom that God gave him” (2 Peter 3: 14-15)
To be continued…
Nigel
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