Catherine Corley - Lavished With Wisdom and Understanding

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace, that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding."  Ephesians 1:7-8 (NIV)  

These two short verses give us so many promises from God.  Let's pretend we are back in school and take each part of this verse and analyze it with the help of the Holy Spirit.

First, we have redemption through His blood.  That is just glorious!  Redemption, the deliverance from sin; salvation; atonement for guilt.  Then, we have the forgiveness of sins.  He doesn't just deliver us from our sins, but He forgives them, removes them from us as far as the east is from the west and forgets them!  

So He died to deliver us from our sins, forgive us of our sins and, then, through the riches of God's grace (the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God), He has lavished us with all wisdom and understanding.

I love that word "lavished."  Lavish means "to extend or give in great amounts or without limit."  Can you imagine?  Through the riches of His amazing grace, the God of the Universe gives to us, in great amounts AND without limit, all wisdom and understanding!

James 1:5-6 (NIV) says "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.  But when you ask you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave in the sea, blown and tossed by wind." 

I don't know about you, but I have asked, begged and pleaded for wisdom and understanding and I know He gives it to me, in the amount I can handle, in spite of my tired brain.  Every morning I ask for clarity.  I want to learn every day more and more about Him and what He expects from me and desires for me.  

I dissect verses every morning and look up words in the dictionary, even if I know what they mean.  Sometimes, when you have the verse written out and have all the meanings of various key words written out with them, it can overwhelm your heart with joy and, best of all, wisdom and understanding.

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O Lord, grant us wisdom and understanding today so we may learn more about You and how to serve You better.  Please keep our eyes open to Your spiritual truths.  Give us opportunities to serve You, even in small, unexpected ways, as we go about our day.  In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Catherine Corley - Endurance With Joy

"[We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, to exercise every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy."  Colossians 1:11 (Amplified)

A couple of days ago, I received some distressing news from my doctor.  I have to wait until December 17 to even have the test done to confirm or disprove the speculations about my health and then wait several more days for an answer and/or analysis.  

As usual, the Lord sent me the right verse on the right day.  It happens all the time!  I read Colossians 1:11 in every version of the Bible I could and, although I usually prefer the NIV translation, in this instance, I am claiming my verse in the Amplified translation because it is a BIG problem and I need an AMPLIFIED answer while I wait!  

So I am going to dissect my verse, as I usually do, and look up definitions, as I usually do, only this time with you.  Don't blame me, blame my mother.  She was an editor and we used to dissect sentences, conjugate verbs and discuss grammar and usage while driving in the car...didn't everybody?  You didn't?  Oh, but I learned a lot from that amazing lady!  She wouldn't have liked some of the incomplete sentences to follow, but she would have understood the point I am trying to make.

Let's break it down, shall we?  

We pray that you may be invigorated--filled with life and energy.  That sounds good!  I especially like feeling energetic.

We pray that you may be strengthened--of great moral power, firmness and courage--with ALL power.  I could use that!  

According to the might of His glory--the physical strength or superior power to do or accomplish the splendor or bliss of Heaven.  Wow, that sounds awesome!  I can barely accomplish my daily to do list.  

To exercise every kind of endurance--the ability or strength to continue or last especially despite fatigue, stress or other adverse conditions.  How?  With every kind of patience--the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation or the like!  Hmmm....without complaint, loss of temper, irritation or the like...maybe I should write that on my hand!  Just a second...

With perseverance--steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc. especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles or discouragement.  With forbearance--refraining or abstaining from something; patient endurance, self-control.  Self-control?  I've been working on that one!  Maybe He is trying to tell me something!

Finally, here's the powerful ending--with joy!!!  Not with whining, complaining, and crying, but with joy!  Joy, the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something especially good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation!  It makes you want to smile, doesn't it?  

When we go through the rough times, we know God is in control.  We don't have to whine and complain (although I frequently do, I confess).  No, we can hold our heads high and rejoice!  We can feel joy even as we wait on a medical test or wait to find a job or wait for a problem of a loved one to be solved.  Anything!

Again, that gives me HOPE!  I love hope!  And I love writing with exclamation marks!

Have a blessed day and take care of your heart!