While Paul's exhortation here is excellent, it is the style of the exhortation we should especially notice. We live in an age where we are constantly pressured to emphasize the novel, new, or improved versions of things. But in our lives as Christians, our knowledge always exceeds our obedience - we very seldom live up to the truth we know, even though it is old truth and established truth. So, more often than we like to think, we need to remind each other of what we are doing that is right, good, obedient, and holy. Our words of affirmation and encouragement don't need to be elaborate or profound or novel or new. We can say, "Hey, you're doing well; just keep doing what you're doing! I know your Father in heaven is pleased with you!" Let's encourage each other and build each other up, as in fact some of us are already doing, and need to do so more and more.
Video Commentary...
We've included Phil's ToGather video from four years ago as an added blessing to our verse today:
Faithful Father, thank you for noticing and keeping record of the things I've done that are good and pleasing to you. Thank you for choosing to forget those things you have forgiven me. Please help me to keep doing those things that please you, only help me do them better, more completely, so that you may be pleased and glorified. And, dear Father, help me see the good things others do, and encourage and affirm their goodness. I want to be the kind of disciple who catches people doing good things, then lets them know I appreciate them. In Jesus name and to become more JESUShaped, I pray. Amen.
"[After the return of the people of Judah from Babylon, this is what the Lord said about them,] "They made their hearts as hard as stone, so they could not hear...."
"God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him....."
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