Week 4, Monday, Ephesians 4:1-2

Posted on Sep 26, 2022 in Devotions, General, Today, Yesterday |

Monday, May 11, 2020 – Ephesians 4:1-2

What If We Choose To Love?

By Pastor Paul Georgulis

From chapter four onward, Paul will describe the specific lifestyle changes God wants His followers to make by taking his readers back to the fundamental instructions on living the Christian life. He reminds them how they began and what it was all about.

Scripture:

“Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. ²Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.” – Ephesians 4:1-2 (New Living Translation)

At the time of my writing this (May 6^th), I have just finished writing my sermon for this upcoming Sunday (May 10^th). By the time you read this (beginning on May 11^th) – assuming you tuned in to our Sunday morning worship service – you will have heard me preach about the story of The Prodigal Son from Luke 15. The way God orchestrates and times things is incredible to me. In the story of The Prodigal Son, we have the character of the older brother who is full of resentment and bitterness in regard to the poor decisions and subsequent return of his younger brother and how his father welcomed him back with open arms and no questions asked.

The older brother in this story was not doing what the Apostle Paul urged here in Ephesians 4. He was not being humble and gentle. He was not being patient with his brother, or his father. And he certainly was not making allowance for his brother’s faults. Actually, he was showing no love – only bitterness and hatred.

The truth is that no one is ever going to be perfect here on earth, so we must accept and love others, despite their faults. When we see faults in people, we should be patient and gentle. Is there someone who really knows how to press your buttons, annoying you to no end? Rather than dwelling on that person’s weaknesses or looking for faults, pray for him or her. Then do even more by actually spending time together with the goal of trying to understand them and learn from them.

Imagine if the older brother in the story of The Prodigal Son had allowed love to win over resentment and hatred? Imagine what it would be like if we did the same. What would happen if – no matter how annoyed or frustrated we are with someone – we chose to follow the greatest commandments of loving God and loving people (Mark 12:30-31)?

Prayer:

God, we know that you are love and that it is only because you loved us first that we are able to love. Help us when our sinful human tendencies try to take control and allow us to instead

choose to love. In doing so, we are becoming more like your Son. And that’s what we want, Lord…to be more like Jesus.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!

One Response to “Week 4, Monday, Ephesians 4:1-2”

Carol Amt says:

May 15, 2020 at 10:19 AM

Hello Pastor Paul, This may be a little late; however, I wanted to thank you for a wonderful sermon on Sunday that I felt truly put the Prodigal Son parable’s message into words I could share with my own adult children. Your words fell into a place of solace and peace for me. To follow up on Monday, your words and prayer continued to bring a place of peace for me. Thank you again for being a blessing to our church, to the youth of this church, and to all of us.

Carol

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