You might think from the title that today's blog might have something to do with "The Beatles" or the type of Bee shown above, but that is not the case. I have to admit that the "Beatles" were my heroes in eighth grade, and yes, I even stood in line for several hours to get tickets to their first movie "Hard Days Night." Silly teenager that I was!
No, today's blog has to do with my real earthly hero, my husband. As I have told you before, I had polio as a child and now suffer from post-polio syndrome. The nerves and muscles that once gave me the strength and the stamina to raise a family, are slowly wearing out. They cry out to me in the wee hours of the morning with pain and make me really exhausted a lot of the time. I don't tell you this for sympathy, but to let you know where I am coming from in our discussion.
I must admit that sometimes the affects of polio really get to me and I was having a day like that this week. I asked my husband, "What good am I?" "I can hardly do anything anymore!" Hey, everyone needs a pity party once in awhile! His answer to me has resonated over and over in my mind. "You don't have to do, you just have to be!" Yes, he is a keeper and as I told you, my hero.
This got me to thinking about my Christian walk. God doesn't ask me to DO either, He asks me to BE!
Think about the story of Paul and Silas in jail in the book of Acts 16:25-34. There Paul and Silas are praying and singing hymns and an earthquake happens and the prison doors are opened. The jailer woke up and thought that Paul and Silas had escaped. The jailer became fearful of what might happen if they did and was even thinking of harming himself! So the story goes in Acts 16:28-31: "But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (NIV) Isn't that still the age old question? We all want to DO something to win favor with God! Notice what they said to him, "BElieve in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you an your household." Acts 16:31,( NIV) Really Paul and Silas it's that simple? It's that simple!
We're the ones who make it hard, thinking to ourselves that we have to DO something before God accepts us. Are you one of those ones who think I need to quit smoking first? I need to quit partying first? I need to try and do better? It is a lie from Satan, himself! God doesn't require you to DO!
Although not an exhaustive list, here are some other BE's if you are a child of God:
BE on your guard; stand firm in the faith; BE men of courage; BE strong. (I Cor. 16:13)
BE sympathetic, love as brothers, BE compassionate and humble. (I Peter 3:8b)
BE merciful to those who doubt (Jude 1:22)
BE completely humble and gentle; BE patient, bearing with one another in love. (Eph. 4:2)
BE merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:36)
BE joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12) Even in post polio syndrome Lord? Yes, even then!
These verses don't require us DOing but just BEing as a part of this new creation God has made us. This is my mentoring challenge for us all today!
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