Our Scripture is on gentleness this week.
I had been doing some research on Psalm 141,
especially verse 5 where it talks about "oil for my head".
This video was one of my choices and I thought that it
so very well spoke of "gentleness" and peace.
Hope you enjoy it.
(Plz turn off my Playlist music to be able to hear this
)Philippians 4:5
"Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near."
–New International Version
"Let your graciousness be know to everyone. The Lord is near."
–Christian Standard Bible
"Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!"
–The Message Bible
One commentary (Parallel Bible Commentary) says for "gentleness"
or "moderation" ...
><>Forbearance (now, that a word you do not hear much of today...)
><>Considerateness (is that a word?
)><> Sweet Reasonableness
><> Being Satisfied With Less Than Is Due You
Would you please allow me to bring back a picture from my last post
for that last statement?....
Double Ouch....
This is the opposite of stubbornness and thoughtlessness.
The commentary at www.preceptaustin.org says:
(Forbearance or gentleness) describes a person who does not always insist on every right of letter of law or custom. It stands for the spirit or attitude that does not seek to retaliate. It denotes one’s willingness to give and take instead of always standing rigidly on one’s rights. This is the person who is yielding his rights and is therefore gentle, kind, courteous, tolerant or as one has described it exhibits a "sweet reasonableness" or an ability to extend to others the kindly consideration one would wish to receive themselves. The forbearing person is not spineless but selfless.
Be known speaks of knowledge that goes beyond the merely factual. Paul is saying that others are to realize our yieldedness (by experience). We are to be sure that they realize by seeing us in action that we are a people who do not...
Now....we could start a whole debate on WHEN and HOW we do stand up for our rights,
that will be a subject for another post.
How was your "spirit" this morning when offended or misunderstood or mistreated?
Did you defend or forbear, even able to give thanks for all (how many?) things?
"The Lord is near."
When I read that phrase,
I was comforted.
To me and my life,
it said that the Lord is here with me.
It reminds me of a mother or father.
When a child is crying and uncontrollably,
a parent will comfort them by saying:
"It's OK..I am here...Mommy is here...
Daddy is here...
The Lord is near.
Psalm 91:1
"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High,
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty."
–King James Version
Under....not in, but under.
That means that Something is over top of us,
shielding us.
This reminds me of my post October 10, 2008
"I will take refuge in the shadow of Your wings...
I had another friend tell me this week that
she feels like she is just walking in the dark...
that she doesn't know where her life's purpose
is leading her. The things she thought God was telling
her to do...did not work out at all...closed doors...
She mentioned this to her mentor at church
and this precious lady told her that she may be
walking in the dark, but it is because
SHE IS IN THE SHADOW OF HIS WINGS....!!!
Comforting, holding close, protecting, until
the storm passes..."
The other meaning of this verse could be in reference
to the return of Christ.
•Our Homegoing
•The Rapture
•The Second Coming
•Judgment Day
I like to think about...
the Rapture for this one.
WOW ~ what a day!!!
If you have watched any of the Left Behind DVDs
or read the books, you have seen their ideas on how the world will be
left when that Great Day comes.
Until next week, may you and I be encouraged to be gentle and to
KNOW that God is very near to us, AMEN!
Debbie G.
Hi Debbie,
ReplyDeleteI loved this post, and I agree with you that the video really makes you feel the gentleness and God's peace. The pictures in the video are very soothing to look at too.
I enjoyed reading all the different bible versions for verse 5. I especially liked the Message Bible one.
When you talked about the Rapture, it made me think of the old song we use to sing that says, "Won't it be wonderful there, having no burdens to bear. Joyously singing with heart bells ringing, O won't it be wonderful there.
I was listening to a missionary preaching on a CD yesterday and he said a young man, that was dying with cancer said the two most important things to him in his last days was that he was in right relationship with God, and that he could share Christ with others, so they could go to heaven too. That should be the prayer of all of us. We shouldn't want to be us four and no more.
I think of sweet Laura Mc Carty that echoed the same feelings this young man had, and how she shared Christ with everyone that was with her in her last days of her life. O, how I miss her and her sweetness of Christ.
I also thought the commentary had a good description for Forbearance or Gentleness.
May you have a blessed week.
Love you,
Darlene