This past week, I began a new Bible study/devotional book. It is a study on the Book of Philippians that goes in depth concerning experiencing the peace of God (Experiencing God’s Peace by Elizabeth George). As I read my portion of Scripture this morning, and read the study that went with it, the Lord graciously gave me something I am (and have been) in desperate need of right now, and I thought that, by His grace, I would share it with you! J
The title of the chapter was “Giving Thanks for Others” and
the Scripture that went with it was Philippians 1:3-8.
“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every
prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the
gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that
he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus
Christ: Even as it is meet for me to
think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my
bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers
of my grace. For God is my record, how
greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.”
Usually, and often over the past week or so, I apply verse
6 to my life in a personal way; how God will never give up on me.
And I did so again this morning—and I encourage you to do the same! God will never
give up on you, dear sister, even if you feel like you are so ready to
give up on Him!!
Trust me.
I’ve been
there.
Am
there. L
So let’s claim this
promise together!!!!! JJJ
But! As I lay
there on my bed, Bible open, it was as though God whispered, “This applies to
your siblings, too.”
…Woooowww…
*tires skid noisily to a halt*
(Let that baby sink in!!!!!)
Often, it is extremely easy to become distraught over the
misbehavior of your (my!!) younger siblings!L It is very discouraging
and can very easily weigh down on ones soul. It (or they!!J)
can be and is very frustrating.
Sure some of you big sissy’s out there struggle with this as
well, day in and day out. It is hard as a big sister to watch your sibling
react to a problem, or worse yet authority, in a way you and even they
know is not how Jesus would have them respond. It’s grating
on your very soul to hear their constant bickering and arguing. It
drives you up the wall to hear them complaining about having to do simple
chores, when it seems you have a boatload of responsibilities!
But the Lord showed me through this verse that even though it
may seem hopeless at times, even though it may seem like a fruitless
endeavor to try to encourage them, admonish them in Godliness—it’s not a
waste, because…
…He’s in control!!!
He’s still working on them!
… He’s got a handle
on the situation!!
No, not the handle, He’s got the lid on the situation—forget
the lid—He’s got the whole pot!!! It’s simmering on His
stove! According to His timetable (yes, I can imagine some of you
cringing on that one… lol… I can too). You know the saying “a watched pot never
boils”? That’s the way it is with me and my siblings and their walk with Jesus…
that’s the way it is with you and your siblings and their walk
with Jesus (and after, all, it is pretty unfair to expect them to
be as mature or know as much as we are and do… preaching to the choir here!! J)
In fact, this applies to us personally as well!!! Jesus is cooking all
the bitterness and unpleasant taste out of our siblings (and us as well) so
that He can present the world, His Church, and ultimately, His Father with
“savory meat, such as He loveth”. (Genesis 27:4)
But remember: The amount of “cooking time” He knows we
need to make us a delight doesn’t necessarily coincide with ours! *Sigh* J
Also, this devotion stated that God, the Author and Finisher,
saw the people whom Paul loved and longed for as they would be one day
in Christ and through His hand of Providence in their lives… not necessarily
the unfinished state they were in right then. And that is how Paul also
chose to see them and think of them—and that is how
we, as set-apart, Princess Warriors, and Big Sisters, need to think of
our siblings. We need to see them in the light of who they will be one day
through Christ. What they will become through His hand at work in their
lives (as they simmer on the heavenly Stove… can anyone else see Jesus in the
kitchen with an apron on?? JJJ).
But that is how we need to think of them and view them. We should also love
them according to who they will one day be in Christ, when He has finished
that awesome work that He has begun in your and my little brothers and sisters!
We shouldn’t think of and define them by their current argumentativeness,
disobedience, disrespect and other things that may pop up rather more than we
would like! Lol
I exhort you today, dear sister, to ask the Lord to help you
view your siblings in the light of who they will be in and through Him! Also,
to remind yourself, next time they pester you, disobey mom and dad, or argue to
the point of driving you up the wall—He which has begun a good work in them, will
(continue) to perform it until the day of Jesus Christ!!! Until they are
complete in Him!!!! And if any of you have unsaved younger brothers and
sisters, pray and ask the Lord to simply begin that work in them!! Let
us claim and rest upon this promise together!!
(All Photos taken by and used with permission by Miss Rachel Melton )
