Responding in Our Provision

Scripture:  Matthew 5:23-24, - Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go your way.  First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.  Matthew 5:43-44 – You have heard that it was said ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you…

I am currently with a team of two other saints reading through the Gospel of Matthew.  Jesus addresses basic, yet difficult, expected responses we should have in our relationship dynamics.  God is so serious about how we treat one another that he does not even want our offering if we do not have a loving relationship with our brother or sister.  God wants and commands reconciliation, and restoration of fellowship before an offering can be deemed acceptable.  If our neighbor, brother, or sister curse us, The Lord requires that we love them, despite their hostile disposition.  These are, to say the least, hard sayings.  How are we to carry out our Lord’s commands?  Well, He realizes that to have the right response to enemy like behavior, we must remember some things and be yielded to what the Lord desires; we must possess the desire to live beyond what we see, feel, and hear.   I am reminded of Colossians where Paul reminds us that God has given us, as believers, the ability (in Christ) to set our affections on things above and not on things on this earth.  The whole goal in life is to embrace and please the Father; therefore, in Christ because of His work on the cross and His resurrection, we have been given much provision; we have already been seated in the heavenlies.  We can rejoice and live as our Savior has given us victory and miraculous abilities to live and not die defeatedly.  I used to believe 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, where Paul refers to the weapons of our warfare, was just a way to withstand and defend myself.  But this concept of possessing weapons is for offensive strategies, as well.   We are to recognize our weapons to rest in who we are as creatures who have been saved and delivered from the slave market of sin.  If we could only wear God’s victory and wear the remembrance of His provision around our necks as those in the Book of Proverbs were instructed to do. – Let’s never forget His Provision for us and what it means; He desires that we have success in this life; therefore, we must embrace God’s exhortation in Joshua, as He explains success is gained only through the meditation on His Word day and night.  The success in having the acceptable relationship dynamic with our brothers and sisters will require us to wear and remember God’s Word everywhere we go.  We have peace in Christ, for the simple reason, He has overcome this world and all the evil in it.  Christ has declared the VICTORY forever and ever!.

Prayer:  Lord, we thank You for Your constant desire and invitation for us to be Your light and salt on this earth, despite what we are confronted with in this life; Thank You for Your reassuring peace, love and provision.  For our meditation on Your Word is to motivate and excite us in living as unto you; always aiming to please You first and foremost.  That we would never forget Our Great and Everlasting God!  Thank You… In Jesus’ Name-Amen!

(by Lisa Williams)