Morning Popcorn

Ballpark Popcorn CrunchHey, when God is making something clear, it is exciting how his Word pops, like kernels of popcorn blasting from hard nuggets to delicious edible morsels. 

 I read one of my favourite Bible chapters this morning: the book of Colossians, chapter 3, and some of the verses, when I read them in the light of what I shared in my last blog post, The Heavy Weight of Words, had deeper significance than ever.

 Think about the agency of the Enemy of God to divide, and his propensity for the use of words to do so, perverting the gift that sets us apart from all the other wonderfully created beings on this planet. See how some of the verses from the passage in Colossians emphasize that fact in describing his influence, to which humans are all too receptive. Look at the contrast with the character of God, with which Paul the apostle, admonishes us to "clothe" ourselves.
Colossians 3:8-12New International Version (NIV)8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,gentleness and patience.New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
We are to "take off" the clothing--and nature of the Enemy--which is so natural to our "old selves" (verses 8 & 9,) and "put on" a new, regenerated self, the image of Christ (verse 10.)

 And I love verse 11, which counters division and seeing people different to ourselves as "the other."

 To sum it all up, verse 14, the final perfect piece of clothing:
Colossians 3:14New International Version (NIV)14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

A small serving of popcorn from me this morning. :)

Comments

mercygraceword said…
With butter!

Thanks Belinda,

Deborah
4:51 PM
Belinda said…
Mmmm mmm Deborah! :)
5:47 PM
Anonymous said…
Something for my heart to snack on for the day. Thanks.
11:40 PM
Belinda said…
:) And it's good for us too Anon!
10:26 AM
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