God wants to bring good from bad

Remember how Romans 8:28  assures us that "All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose?" Two biblical examples of this very thing come to mind:

First, when the Apostle Paul heard of some basic no-no's happening among the Christians in Corinth, he wrote a letter to chastise them. Eventually, however, he tried another approach, and by Chapter 13 of First Corinthians, he gave us one of the most profound treatices ever written on the true meaning of love. That "Love Chapter" as it's often called, provides a way to assess our attitudes and actions, but would we have been given such a beautiful, poetic definition of love if the Corinthians had not been behaving so badly?

Then, in the book of Revelation, the Apostle John wrote down the vision the Risen Christ had given to correct and encourage the seven churches - lauds and warnings that still apply today. When it came to Laodicea,  the last church mentioned, the Lord sharply rebuked them, saying they were neither hot nor cold, but so lukewarm in their fath that He was ready to spit them out of His mouth. Or, as some translations suggest, they made the Lord Christ want to vomit! 

And yet....

After explaining what the Laodiceans lacked, Jesus let them know He only chastises those He loves. And, in verse 20, He offered up an often-quoted invitation that would not have been needed if the Christians in Laodicea had already been strong in faith. Jesus said, "Behold! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in, and we will dine together."

Surely, the Lord would rather not fuss at us! Yet, it's a blessing to know He wants to turn our mistakes, bad attitudes, and poor choices into something good. Praise God! He can!

(c) 2024, Mary Harwell Sayler

Repent and other words to clear vision

When I woke up this morning, I immediately started thinking about the new group for Christian Poets and Writers on Facebook, so I asked God, “What do you want me to say today?” Immediately, one word came: Repent.

Since I really would like for the group to multiple and be blessed and not shrink in horror, I argued. “But God,” I said, “that is not a word any of us wants to hear!”

Immediately, the impression came: Sure you do!

God then brought to mind one of my favorite Bible verses: “First, remove the log from your own eye, then you will see clearly to remove the tiny specks from the eyes of other people,” my paraphrase of Matthew 7:5 and Luke 6:42, but you get the picture! If you’re a poetic writer, you’ll also recognize that as the literary device known as hyperbole that Jesus often used in getting across a crucial point and helping us to remember.

But back to repentance:

Is there the remotest mote of a possibility that we might need to repent as individuals who love God and are called to write in every genre?

Do we want, no, need discernment before we write?

Do we need to see clearly before we address any vision God might have for us and our ministries as poets, writers, editors, and publishers?

Will we admit to flaws we have before pointing them out in other people?

Repentance brings a cleansing to the soul, heart, mind, and spirit. We can do this in private. We can do this communally as a church, and we can consider what changes we might help to make in this wonderful nation – One Nation under God but never above the LORD of Lord and King of Kings and President of Presidents Whom we truly elect to Preside over us and our lives.

Well, these are the kinds of thoughts that began to come before I got up, before I remembered the date: September 11.

And I have no word on that, but pray.

Pray especially today with what the Bible calls a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for, today, we actually recall what that sacrifice means.

So this day, let's agree in prayer to praise God for every good gift.

Let us thank God for the work we have been given to do to help heal the church Body of Christ and the body of believers in this nation.

Let us remember that “repent” does not mean to dwell on our sins or mistakes but “to turn” to God – to re-turn with a clearer vision of Who God Is and who we are in the Body of Christ.

So even if it is a big sacrifice or heavy effort today, please let us renew our belief in the whole and wholly goodness of our Almighty God.

Let us accept and believe in the need we all have to unburden ourselves regularly of even the tiniest sense of guilt or wrongdoing.

Let’s live and write as though we truly, truly believe in the salvation and redemption of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who Is with us now and forever, even today.


© September 11, 2012, Mary Harwell Sayler says all rights reserved to God. Pass it on, and pray others do too.