Verse of the Day 8/17

Verse of the Day 8/17

Romans 15:5-6   God is the one who makes us patient and cheerful. I pray that he will help you live at peace with each other, as you follow Christ. ⁶ Then all of you together will praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Contemporary English Version (CEV)

The read through the New Testament plan that I'm following recently brought me to Romans chapter 15 where we go for today's verses.  What caught my attention at the beginning of this chapter was the heading "Please Others and Not Yourself".  This statement is very counter cultural in our day and in our society.  Much of what we see going around us has to do with people "pleasing themselves".  Taking advantage of situations and other people for personal benefit and gain without any thought to who might be affected by our actions.

Back in 1972 the late Ricky Nelson came out with the hit single "Garden Party".  It was a very catchy tune and the chorus of it just seemed to roll off the tongue.  It felt natural and easy to sing along with and the more you sang along with it the more you believed it.  It is a basically a cheerful song but those who follow its mantra would not find peace in following its suggestions.

"But it's all right now, I learned my lesson well.
You see, ya can't please everyone, so ya got to please yourself"

Today's verses and God's Word in general, has some better advice.  Being patient and cheerful are things that come from and can be found in God alone.  By following His Words we can live at peace and hope with each other in these troubled times as we treat others with kindness, love and respect.  As verse 4 says in the Contemporary English Version states:

Romans 15:4 And the Scriptures were written to teach and encourage us by giving us hope.   Contemporary English Version (CEV)

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Romans 15 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Please Others and Not Yourself

15 If our faith is strong, we should be patient with the Lord's followers whose faith is weak. We should try to please them instead of ourselves. ² We should think of their good and try to help them by doing what pleases them. ³ Even Christ did not try to please himself. But as the Scriptures say, "The people who insulted you also insulted me." ⁴ And the Scriptures were written to teach and encourage us by giving us hope. ⁵ God is the one who makes us patient and cheerful. I pray that he will help you live at peace with each other, as you follow Christ. ⁶ Then all of you together will praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.