“Whatever was written beforehand is meant to instruct us in how to live. The Scriptures impart to us encouragement and inspiration so that we can live in hope and endure all things. Now may God, the source of great endurance and comfort, grace you with unity among yourselves, which flows from your relationship with Jesus, the Anointed One. Now may God, the inspiration and fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his superabundance until you radiate with hope! For this grace has made me a servant of the gospel of God, constantly doing the work of a priest, for I endeavor to present an acceptable offering to God; so that the non-Jewish people of the earth may be set apart and made holy by the Spirit of holiness.” Romans 15:4-5,13,16 TPT
In this world filled with its imperfections, we can sometimes find ourselves a bit overwhelmed. Without directions, or instructions, we can find ourselves like that piece of furniture delivered in a box containing hundreds of pieces. We want to have every piece together, but reading the directions takes too long, and is time consuming. So, we forge ahead, mess up, grab the instructions, and start over. So is life. We find our direction within His Word.
In this passage, the Apostle Paul is pointing out the fact that we need the Scriptures to impart our instructions to us. Within His Word, we find our source of endurance and comfort. He continues to be our fountain of hope. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we seek encouragement and perseverance, topped off with unspeakable joy. As we continue to grow and trust in Him, we seek the strength to endure, and the peace that can be ours, simply for the asking.
Heavenly Father, help us to remember to take the time to read and seek the directions for our lives through your precious Word, and be ever so thankful.
In Christ Love
Margaret