Monday, October 17, 2011

But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense PATIENCE as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.

1 Timothy 1:16

Do you have those days?  You know the ones . . . when at the very end, as you are dragging the covers up over your aching feet and your head is still reeling, you know, that today, you have tried the "immense patience" of your God to a great degree.

I have them.  Far more often than I would like to admit.  The reality is that I probably test the "immense patience" of my God every day.  My lack of fruit is blaringly evident when I replay the day's events as the covers are reaching my chin, head falling into my pillow.

Love was lacking, Peace was not spread, Patience was far from my tongue, Gentleness was not my first response, and let's not even go near Self-Control.  They are far from abounding in my heart and mind to the degree that would please the Lord . . . on those days . . .

And then, when I look closer at this verse from 1 Timothy, I see that this "immense patience", this longsuffering for me, His sinful child, is not really for my sake.  It says that I was shown mercy so that others might believe and receive eternal life.

There is so much to unpack there, but I find that notion overwhelming!  God chose me to give His mercy to, bestow His patience on, SO THAT others might see and recieve the same gifts!  That truth should drive all pride right out of my soul and paint me completely transpearant for all to see . . . so that ALL might see.

So what does that mean?  How does that happen?  How do we let others see so they too might recieve what we have been so freely given?

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