Issue 1318 – Snowfall Romance – December 11. 2023
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It’s foggy this morning. It’s not a pea soup fog, but it’s enough that you can’t see anything clearly past the fence in the backyard. I’m not a big fan of fog, but you don’t have to shovel it off the driveway.
We did get a skiff of snow on the weekend, but nothing that needed shovelling and it was all gone the following day. Oh, I miss the beauty of a fresh snowfall, just not the work that goes with it. I see scenes with horse-drawn carriages in the snow, and my heart gets sentimental, particularly this time of year.
I’m sort of a snowfall romantic. I love the idea but am not interested in the work that snow entails. Those horses need care every day, harnessing and grooming. The stables need cleaning. The snow has to be shovelled and more. Then you have to dress for the weather and go out in it. That’s too much for me.
I think we all have that bit of “romantic” in use. Maybe we want to live off the land but don’t want to learn the skills needed. Perhaps we love the idea of being the big boss at work but are not prepared to put in all the hours it takes.
Some people are romantic about being Christians. They want to be seen as good Christians and grow in their faith walk, but they don’t want to examine their hearts, serve others or even read their Bibles. It is as if they want to come to church and catch holiness by osmosis.
I will admit that we cannot be made holy by our efforts. Only God, working in us, can transform our hearts. Yet he doesn’t wave some magic wand, and suddenly, we are mature saints.
He has a process. The first step is to recognize our sin and inability to fix ourselves. We turn to Him in faith. That gets us “saved,” but then the growing starts.
Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:2-5
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4
The process differs from person to person in specifics, but the Lord tests us by pointing out our sin and causing us to deal with them. He tests our faith because a faith not tested is just hope.
There are no shortcuts to Christian maturity; it isn’t always easy, but the rewards are great (and they last forever).
We need to learn to forgive (others as well as ourselves. We must learn humility (believe it or not, neither you nor I are the center of the universe.) We are called to recognize and confess our sin to Him in repentance. God calls us to give, serve others, and rejoice.
None of those things buy us our salvation. Our redemption is a gift of God, but we are called to do our bit in the process.
May we allow God’s free reign to transform our hearts and minds.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the Glory of God alone)
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