Seek to Understand

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. – (1 Peter 3:8, NIV)

So all of you should live together in peace. Try to understand each other. Love each other like brothers and sisters. Be kind and humble. – (1 Peter 3:8, ERV)

Finally, all of you, be like-minded and show sympathy, love, compassion, and humility to and for each other. – (1 Peter 3:8, VOICE)

In order to live together in peace, we must seek to understand one another and love each other like family. To accomplish this requires compassion, humility and kindness. It does not mean we have to share the same opinions on everything or like all of the same thing, but rather it is through mutual love and respect that we may live peaceably with the people around us throughout each new day. The challenge in this is that it only works if all are striving for the same end goal – to love and care for one another like family. I have been blessed to find myself in community at work, church, with friends, and actual family, where care for each other is valued over political, religious, and world views. If people are our priority, peace falls into place. May we ever seek the Lord to lead us in His love, and to show us how to best love those around us with compassion and humility, ever seeking to understand each other in love.

O Lord, please lead us,

To love as You love;

With kindness and grace,

Lifting others up.

Help us be humble,

Keep others in mind;

Seek understanding,

And always be kind.

With true compassion,

Let’s listen and learn;

Value each other,

In love, choose affirm.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to be compassionate and kind, humble and loving, seeking to live at peace with everyone. Thank You that You remind us how to live together like family. Forgive us for the times that we have lacked compassion or humility, and did not seek to understand or to pursue peace. Show us how to love one another as sisters and brothers, for You love us perfectly and provide all that we need to love and live at peace with each other. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek to understand each other and live together in peace, with humility, compassion, kindness and love. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5

Hold Onto Hope

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise. – (Hebrews 10:23, NLT)

We must hold on to the hope we have, never hesitating to tell people about it. We can trust God to do what He promised. – (Hebrews 10:23, ERV)

Let us hold strong to the confession of our hope, never wavering, since the One who promised it to us is faithful. – (Hebrews 10:23, VOICE)

 

Our hope ought to be held close to our hearts and ready on our lips, as we can be certain of what God has promised because He is faithful to do what He says He will do. There is something so reassuring in knowing that Christ is the anchor of our soul. We need not struggle nor strive to earn what is promised, but rather we are to embrace what we have already received, which compels us to speak truth in love to those who still need to hear. The Lord is faithful forever, and we can always trust that He will stay true to His word. May we rise up in faith and hold fast to the truth, as we go forth trusting the Lord’s promises and share of all that He has done.

 

Let our hearts hold fast,

image from quotespictures.com

to our hope that’s true;

for God is faithful,

what He says, He’ll do.

Let’s not hesitate,

His hope, let us share;

for Christ’s the answer,

for all in despair.

Christ does not waiver,

His truth shall remain;

His promises true,

the hope we can claim.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can hold tightly, without wavering, to our hope in You. Thank You that You can be trusted to keep Your word. Thank You that You are faithful, always. Forgive us for our hesitation to speak of the hope that we hold in You. Teach us to trust You more, so that those who know You not, may be given the opportunity to hear the truth of the how great Your grace is for all who call on Your Name, and how ready to receive each who seek, You truly are. May many receive what You are freely offering. Be glorified O God, as we hold fast to the hope we have in You, and speak freely of Your faithfulness. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Answer me, O Lord, out of the goodness of Your love; in Your great mercy turn to me. – Psalm 69:16