Hey it’s Number One Priority Day. That’s right it’s 1/11! That’s three ones. So it seems this is a good day to put first things first and make sure that your priorities are correct! Maybe this is a good verse to help set those priorities?
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Romans 12:9 (NLT)
What would be some others?
And what else would you use to set first things first?
oh 12! What a fascinating number. There’s the 12 days of Christmas, the 12 tribes of Israel, the 12 innings in a baseball game. ( extra innings of course!) But really 12 is a number that is used a lot to show divine authority, governing perfection, and completeness. It is found as a multiple in all that has to do with rule – 60 minutes, 24 hours, 360 degrees, 12 donuts.
Some think today could be an Apocalyptic day with all of these twelves around. Just imagine the hysteria on 12/12/12 1212! Wow, what sort of day must that have been! And it seems to have turned out ok! But I did want you to know, if this is the end, I will not be posting tomorrow – especially not if there are Zombies around! You could be reading the last post ever. ( that is probably more likely next Friday, but more about that then!)
So let celebrate Dozen Day with some donuts from Krispy Kreme and a look at the life of a Christian from Romans 12
12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. Romans 12:12 New Living Translation (NLT)
It came to my attention this morning that in the UK today is Anti-Slavery Day. A day that set aside to remember the amount of human trafficking and slavery that still occurs in our world. It’s actually quite shocking how much trafficking occurs, even in here in the United States.
That’s something for you to consider today, and how much of an injustice that is to people – especially since we are a people who love our freedom so much.
Or do we?
Not to reduce the human slavery notion of the day at all, but I know that is something that sometimes feels far away. So I also want to urge you to think about your own slavery this morning – and how sometimes you might give up the freedom that the Christ gave you for the willing bondage to personal sin.
34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. John 8:34 New Living Translation (NLT)
So today, let’s remember our freedom, and lets remember what we serve, as we consider the reality of some of the wickedness in our World.
Being then freed from sin, we have been made servants of justice. Romans 6:18 Douay-Rheims Bible
Wow, I have a real bad strain of writers block this morning, I have stared at this blank page for what has seemed like hours, and nothing would appear until finally I remember this, and well that’s all I have today.
On your best day you are not good enough, and on your worst day, you are not bad enough.
of course that is in reference to how God has extended his Love to you. It’s always there, regardless of your actions.
If only we could live like that!
Love Does!
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8 NLT
I’ve thought a lot this morning about this whole ‘storming the embassy thing’ and how that is such an odd reaction to someone saying a bad word about your prophet. I am so reminded about how what the prophets of Baal said when Gideon challenged them to “let him take his own revenge”
But for ourselves, on a personal level, this continues to present a really odd dilemma. One that I think should be guided by the words of Paul in Romans 12 – the how to chapter.
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. (Romans 12:10 ESV)
Make sure you our outdo each other in showing honor to one another, and keep developing the relationships that are around you. It will have an impact of things that are much bigger.