Proverbs 16-18, Romans 15

Romans 15:7 Therefore accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given the glory.

Normally, when I am writing, I am reading ahead, writing and re-writing, but this weekend I had a unique opportunity.  While I knew God had laid Romans 15:7 on my heart, I would get to see another “view”  of the meaning of this verse,

My view of accepting others has changed since my childhood.  I am no longer an all in or all out type of person.  I have learned that there is a difference in accepting and condoning.  I may love and accept someone with a different lifestyle,  different political views, and yes, even different ways of worship,  and not participate in what the Holy Spirit tells me is wrong.

I had the opportunity to worship a little differently this weekend  I am so thankful that I went with an open mind.  I can tell you, I left there with the same feeling I have when I leave my church.  And that is that  I had been in God’s presence. And a message that  reminded me to remove distractions and focus on what is important.

Distractions limit our ability to love one another.  When we focus on God’s love for us, and remember that when we look only in our own “backyard”, we miss so much of God’s beauty, and grace.

My prayer, first and foremost this morning is to be thankful for the opportunity to get an opportunity to see the verse that God laid on my heart with a wider angle lens.  I had kind of pigeon holed that verse in my mind..  I pray for the spirit to remind me to keep that wide angle lenses on all of the time.