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15 July 2007
Ephesians 4 v 30-32
And do not make the Holy Spirit sad. The Spirit is God's proof that you belong to him. God gave you the Spirit to show that God will make you free when the final day comes. Do not be bitter or angry or mad. Never shout angrily or say things to hurt others. Never do anything evil. Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ.
Sometimes we might think we want to do what God tells us because he is our judge and we will have to answer to him one day, or because he knows what is best for us so obeying him makes sense, or because he loves us and has given everything for us so our response is to follow his commands . . . all of these are totally and absolutely true. But also consider this: Imagine the most important person in your life, whoever it is that loves you the most, and that you love the most or care about the deepest. And then imagine that something you did had made them cry, had caused them real grief and incredible pain. How does that make you feel? That is how God feels when we sin.
The Holy Spirit is working to produce proof that he is at work in our lives, to produce the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, and when we are bitter, mad or angry, say hurtful things or do something we know to be wrong, we make God sad. We let him down and betray his work in us and he is sad - that's awful, to think that we can do that. As well as all the other reasons, not wanting to make God sad makes me want to find the strength to be more kind, loving and forgiving, and when I fail, I have to remember that God has forgiven me in Christ and try again.
Holy God, thank you for the work of your Spirit in my life, proving that I belong to you. Please forgive me for the times when my thoughts, words and actions do not reflect that and I make you sad. Please help me to be more kind, loving and forgiving to all those around me, and to reflect more of your fruit in my life. Amen.
Written by Rosemary Thomson
Ephesians 4 v 30-32
And do not make the Holy Spirit sad. The Spirit is God's proof that you belong to him. God gave you the Spirit to show that God will make you free when the final day comes. Do not be bitter or angry or mad. Never shout angrily or say things to hurt others. Never do anything evil. Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ.
Sometimes we might think we want to do what God tells us because he is our judge and we will have to answer to him one day, or because he knows what is best for us so obeying him makes sense, or because he loves us and has given everything for us so our response is to follow his commands . . . all of these are totally and absolutely true. But also consider this: Imagine the most important person in your life, whoever it is that loves you the most, and that you love the most or care about the deepest. And then imagine that something you did had made them cry, had caused them real grief and incredible pain. How does that make you feel? That is how God feels when we sin.
The Holy Spirit is working to produce proof that he is at work in our lives, to produce the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, and when we are bitter, mad or angry, say hurtful things or do something we know to be wrong, we make God sad. We let him down and betray his work in us and he is sad - that's awful, to think that we can do that. As well as all the other reasons, not wanting to make God sad makes me want to find the strength to be more kind, loving and forgiving, and when I fail, I have to remember that God has forgiven me in Christ and try again.
Holy God, thank you for the work of your Spirit in my life, proving that I belong to you. Please forgive me for the times when my thoughts, words and actions do not reflect that and I make you sad. Please help me to be more kind, loving and forgiving to all those around me, and to reflect more of your fruit in my life. Amen.
Written by Rosemary Thomson
