Childlike Hearts Speak Truth: Love One Another
Childlike wisdom rings true in a world torn with racism, prejudice, and juxtaposed ideologies. Human-kind was created as one.
Childlike Hearts Speak Truth: Love One Another
2MefromHim Devotionals
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
Act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 #justice #mercy #Godislove Share on XChildlike Hearts Speak Truth
Skipping up and down the broad sidewalk hand in hand, little girl giggles rang across the parking lot as we waited for the field trip to begin. My daughter and her friends, black, white, Native American, and Hispanic, created a rainbow of ponytails, skinned knees, and laughter.
“Maybe someone will see us and think we’re sisters and your mom is our mom.” One said.
“That couldn’t happen.” Interjected another. “Susie is black, Ann is Indian, I’m blonde, and Amy has brown hair. We can’t be sisters.”
My adopted daughter, used to families of every kind, answered, “We could be sisters. We could all be adopted.”
My daughter's words coincide with God's plan.: We could be sisters. We could all be adopted. #humanity #unity #loveoneanother Share on XChildlike Wisdom Echoes God’s Plan
Her childlike wisdom rings true in a world torn with racism, prejudice, and juxtaposed ideologies. Human-kind was created as one. However, Genesis tells us that God created them male and female. Scripture doesn’t mention color. Likewise, genetics and geography show that the first people carried the genes for every skin color and were probably of a darker tone like Middle Eastern people of today. Any couple could produce children of a variety of skin tones and eye colors. We were one in the beginning.
Childlike wisdom rings true in a world torn with racism, prejudice, and juxtaposed ideologies. #wisdom #truth #Godislove Share on XChildlike Eyes See Similarities Not Differences
The way my children chose friends mirrors God’s lesson to Samuel, “People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) Though we perceive people as different due to sin, in the eyes of God, the heart is all that matters. How might our world be different if we looked at people through the eyes of our Creator?
The world pleads for the message and love of God. Unity comes through Christ alone.
Though we perceive people as different due to sin, in the eyes of God, the heart is all that matters. #racism #sin #mankind Share on XThe Message of Christ
Paul says it better than I: “Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts….” (Colossians 3:11-15)
Childlike Obedience to Christ
As Christians, we must serve as examples in our torn and bleeding world. The call is simple. We are to walk humbly as Christ did, treating all we meet with justice, mercy, and love. What steps will you take today?
We are to walk humbly as Christ did, treating all we meet with justice, mercy, and love. #justice #mercy #love Share on X© Norma Gail Holtman, June 3, 2020
About the author:
Norma Gail writes Fiction to Refresh Your Spirit. Her contemporary novels, Land of My Dreams, which won the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award, and Within Golden Bands (releasing May 19, 2020), explore the theme of women whose faith triumphs over trials. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, Inspire a Fire, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Historical Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 44 years. They have two adult children. To connect with her, you can follow her blog, or join her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, BookBub, or Amazon.
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Reconciliation and Healing from the Inside Out
Forgiveness doesn’t necessarily bring reconciliation. When angry words and actions lead to broken relationships, trust is destroyed. Trust is not easily regained.
Reconciliation—Healing from the Inside Out
2MefromHim Devotionals
Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so? Amos 3:3
Reconciliation appeared impossible. The gaping wound awakened me again. I flicked on the light and curled into my recliner, hurting, unable to sleep, and wracked with tears. A tornado of conflict and disagreement whirled through my brain, flinging splintered bits and pieces of my life and relationships through my mind. Everything I knew was changed, distorted, and destroyed. My heart was so wounded I saw no way I would ever be whole again.
Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so? Amos 3:3 #reconciliation #relationships Share on XI stared out the window into the night, watching as clouds scudded across the sky, covering the almost-full moon. The house shook in the howling wind, battered by powerful gusts, which echoed the storm in my heart. “Lord, I chose to forgive. I acted as you said, but nothing changed. Instead, much of my life appears to be based on lies. Where do I go from here?”
Forgiveness
As an illustration, hospitals isolate patients with infected wounds. Their sores are left open and cleaned frequently to rid them of contagion so healing occurs from the inside out. In the same way, forgiveness begins in the heart and eventually reaches the place where it can be offered to the offending person. However, forgiveness doesn’t necessarily bring reconciliation.
Forgiveness takes place between the person wronged and God, apart from the offender. Once I forgave, a sense of peace began to flood my life. I paid the price of forgiving those who injured me in pride, something I could well afford to pay. However, the relationships remained unreconciled because those who hurt me failed to take responsibility.
Forgiveness takes place between the person wronged and God... #forgiveness #Godislove #healing Share on XGod says reconciliation comes first
Before I chose to forgive, I was infected with bitterness. Hebrews 12:15 says: “See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” A teaching leader in Bible Study Fellowship brought in a tree root wrapped around a sprinkler pipe so tight that water could no longer flow through. Much as Cain grew to hate Abel, anger festers into bitterness, cutting off the flow of love toward the object of our resentment. Notice the last part of the verse, “and defile many.” My anger and resentment overflows to the people around me and defiles them. They choose sides, get involved, and thus become victims of the corruption, which spreads like a plague.
Bitterness defiles and spreads like a plague. #bitterness #plague #relationships Share on XAfter I offered forgiveness to those who hurt me and asked forgiveness for my part in the disagreements, some of the hurt began to heal. Matthew 5:23-24 says, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”
Reconciliation requires atonement
Reconciliation requires atonement, a price paid for the offense. Angry words and actions that lead to broken relationships destroy trust. And trust is not easily regained. It requires time and evidence of change, often some type of reparation must be made.
A relationship can’t be restored if the offender refuses to seek forgiveness or acknowledge the wrong done. Speaking of Christ’s atonement for our sin, Hebrews 9:22 says, “the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” When I hurt someone there is a price to pay to regain trust and enable healing. The offender must accept responsibility, or continuing the relationship will result in more hurt. God never expects us to accept abuse.
What hurts do I need to forgive? What must I offer in order to heal a damaged relationship? Am I willing to humble myself that I might be reconciled to God and those I have injured?
When I hurt someone there is a price to pay to regain trust... #reconciliation #trust #healing Share on X© Norma Gail Holtman, March 9, 2020
About the author:
Norma Gail writes Fiction to Refresh Your Spirit. Her contemporary novels, Land of My Dreams, which won the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award, and Within Golden Bands (releasing May 19, 2020), explore the theme of women whose faith triumphs over trials. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, Inspire a Fire, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Historical Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 44 years. They have two adult children. To connect with her, you can follow her blog, or join her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, or Amazon.
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The Gift of Sacrifice: Gifts of Christmas Part 2 – Devotional
Sacrifice, the greatest gift Jesus Christ gave to the world. What better time that Christmas to create a habit of giving out of sacrifice rather than something that costs us nothing?
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