Notice on a slight format change:

Except for July 2012, these are mostly a collection of current devotional notes.

July 2012 is a re-write of old quiet times. My second child was born Nov 11, 1987 with multiple birth defects. I've been re-reading my QT notes from that time in my life, and have included them here. They cover the time before the birth and the few years immediately after the birth. They are tagged "historical." I added new insights and labeled them: ((TODAY, dd mmm yy)).

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

QT 5 Apr 11

Phil 4:4-5 (NIV) Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

NOTE: I'm pretty sure I'm going too far with this verse, but here it goes.  In chapter 3 Paul starts out with the exhortation to rejoice, which is he also calls a safeguard.  He then warns the Philippians of the Judaizers, spending a lot of time explaining why outward things are rubbish, and finishes with a discussion on the hope of the resurrection, which is best understood as experiencing the rapture.  In these verses, he summarizes the beginning and the ending of chapter 3 with a one extra tidbit.  The extra item is: let your gentleness be evident to all.  To me, this is the part of our Christian witness that marks maturity in Christ (and contrasts with the lives of the Judaizers).  People aren't attracted to the faith by our ability to follow some set of rules or checklists or rituals (although, some people are but for the wrong reasons).  What attracts a person to Jesus, and makes a Christian attractive is love, evidenced by a gentle spirit.  As I imagine Jesus' life, this character quality is what stands out most to me, his loving and gentle spirit.  He would have been a good earthly friend (and he is a good friend now!).  Someone who cared about a person's struggle.  Someone who did not immediately judge you or tell you what you were doing wrong.  Someone who listened.  Someone who gently led you back to truth.  Someone who did not get angry for mistreatment but whose anger arose in defense of others or of God.  And even that anger would be controlled and gentle, firm and resolute.  Those are the people who please God, not the ones who have the rule book down flat.

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