Good morning! Today I am up with the sprinklers. Yes, that is a strange thing to say, but in looking around the neighborhood this morning, I see sprinklers running almost everywhere. I think most people like to set their timers to water before they get up for a shower, a convenience to be sure. In the first part of Timothy, Paul tells Timothy to pray for everyone and to be thankful for them. Wait a minute, be thankful for everyone? Even that... fill in the blank. We all have persons with whom we do not get along well. We also may look with disgust on certain personalities we see on television. However, the command from God goes out to us as well. Be thankful for everyone. One day each of us may face persecution of some type for believing in Christ. We are to be thankful for our persecutors too. This is a difficult task for most of us. I don't even need to think hard to recall several examples of persons who have treated me wrong. Giving God thanks for those persons seems an alien concept. Yes, and to our worldly thinking it does seem strange to be grateful for those who hurt us. However, Jesus brought new thinking into our lives and gratitude for everyone may be the first step toward loving everyone. Loving is the first step toward reaching out to them in sharing our faith in Jesus. And we know that everyone in these difficult times could use some love and hope in Christ Jesus.
Praise God for the new day and our renewed hope in Christ!
Bucky
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