S. O. A. P.

Here’s Your 90 second AM Devotional!

S-cripture:

Ephesians 4:2

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

O-bservation:

In giving direction to the young church at Ephesus, the Apostle Paul promoted ideas that at first appear unattainable. We are to be totally humble, patient, and be willing to put up with people who are sometimes troublesome, because we love them.

A-pplication:

Whenever I read this passage, my first thought is always “Be Like … What?” This is one of the most difficult passages in the entire Bible for me to follow. My NATURE leans toward Arrogance, Unkindness, and Impatience with others. You can imagine the only hope for me is the “Grace of God.” The thought of me being completely gentle in my own power is as much a possibility as me competing in a triathlon next week! However, God never gives us biblical directions we cannot keep and then judges us for not keeping them. Is it any wonder that the Apostle Paul said earlier in this same letter, “For it is by the grace of God that we have been saved through faith, and this hasn’t happened by our own power. It is by the grace of God” (Ephesians 2:8, para.) At the end of the day, you can say with Paul, “By the grace of God, I am what I am” (1 Corinthians 15:10a).

P-rayer:

Dear Jesus,

I love You this AM and am always amazed that You love me. Since I Love You, I believe that with Your Grace I can love them as well. Amen