Thought for March 8, 2024

•  1817: NY Stock Exchange founded
• 1894: First dog licensing law [NY]
• 1927: Pan American Airlines incorporates
• 1934: Edwin Hubble telescope shows as many galaxies as there are stars in the Milky Way
• 1936: First stock car race on Daytona Beach
• 1948: Supreme Court rules religious education in public schools unconstitutional
• 1972: First flight of the Goodyear blimp
• 1983: IBM releases PC Dos 2.0
• 2014: Malaysia Flight MH 370 disappears
• 2019: US Women's soccer Team sues for equal pay
• 2020: US registers 521 Covid cases and 21 deaths
• Born: Josephine Cochrane [invented automatic dishwasher], Edward Kendall [isolated cortisone], Ralph Baer [first video console], Pete Dawkins [Lonesome end and Heisman winner at Army], Jim Bouton, Lynn Redgrave
• Died: Hector Berlioz, Millard Fillmore, Henry Ward Beecher, Ferdinand von Zeppelin, William Howard Taft, Ray Nitschke, Joe DiMaggio, 

Thought:

Most of us are familiar with Colossians 3:10-25 and the related passage in Ephesians 5:22-6:9. In the context of Colossians, I think the refrain may go here as well--if you have been raised with Christ, your relationships should demonstrate your new self. This means to me that even in my home and family, I put on the new self with compassion, kindness, gentleness, humility, patience, forgiveness, and love. If husbands and wives and parents and children daily put on the new self--maybe Paul would not write about these relationships. But most of us may look and talk better in the company of other Christians than we sometimes do in the home. I love those commercials where the ladies meet at the bus stop and one says, "why don't you come over for the game." The other says how much she would enjoy that. then the little girl says, "that's not what you said at home. You said they could not stop talking during the game." In any event, look at what Paul says to those of us who have been raised with Christ: wives submit, husbands love your wife and do not be embittered against her, children obey, fathers do not discourage or exasperate your children. 

You have heard many sermons and lessons on this passage. Let me say what the Lord is saying to me this morning:

• Jan is told to submit and respect because I am to love her as the Lord loves the church. I only want her best and I want her life to be filled with love, joy and peace. That is what Jesus wants for me. And like Jesus I should be willing to sacrifice my life so that her life will be all love, all joy and all peace. And Paul adds that I should not become bitter against her. Why would I become embittered? I get mad because I have to sacrifice or I get bitter because I am putting her first. Don’t get embittered--Jesus does not get bitter because He sacrificed for me although I give Him every reason to do so.
• Children obey. The picture of our relationship to God and the same struggle. We ask God why we have to do things His way just like your children said "why." And after an argument, you said "because I said so." But notice. God knows if the children have to obey, then I may have the tendency to exasperate and discourage my children. Don't use my authority to beat them down, put them down, defeat them. Use my authority to encourage, build up, bless them. Makes me think of the passage in James, if I lack wisdom, I go to the Father and He will not criticize me or put me down for asking.
• If I am the worker, work like the Lord is watching and I am working for Him--all in. If I am the boss, be fair, generous, kind. 

These teachings on relationships really do go back to the refrain--if you have been raised with Christ, you relate to your family and others differently. If you have put on all the characteristics of Christ, your relationships should reflect that. If you are filled  and controlled by the fruit of the Spirit, your relationships should be a picture of that. 

Lord, help us to relate to our wives and children as proof that we have been raised with You.

Blessings

Larry