2 Timothy 4:11 - Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you when you come, for he will be helpful to me in my ministry.
Talk about a change of heart. The same Mark who was the cause of the separation between Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15), has become helpful to Paul. How did Paul, who didn't trust Mark because of his desertion in Pamphylia, come to this change of heart? By grace alone. Years later, through a greater understanding of God's grace towards us, he accepts Mark is a good teacher of the Gospel and a valuable companion to have. Grace can really do amazing things to us when we get out of our own way and let God work.
I love when God speaks to me. Before you start to wonder if I'm hearing voices and destined for the booby hatch, the answer is no not that kind of speaking. He speaks to me through His word (I believe His chosen method for us). I have been reading a great book by Pastor Chuck Swindoll called "The Grace Awakening". The other day, I was reading a chapter all about moving on in grace through disagreements. He spoke about agreeing to disagree in a loving and graceful way, and not to be concerned with who is right or wrong. He made specific references to the disagreement between Paul and Barnabas over Mark, and the apparent reconciliation mentioned here in 2 Timothy.
Today, I came across Titus 3:9 in a devotional I read every morning. The devotional spoke of letting disagreements go and letting God fix the situation (He is much better at things like that, after all). This really convicted my heart because of a huge disagreement that has been going on between me and my mother.
She and I haven't spoken in almost a year. For someone like me who has always been an unashamed "Mama's Boy", that is hard to take. This situation came about not by my choice (I didn't stop talking to her). I can't go into some of the details because it involves other family members that probably don't want to be talked about. At any rate, the fact that I was still talking to certain family members and carrying on a relationship with them, was a huge problem for my mother. She sees things as very black and white - if you're not for me, you're against me. While this does have some merit (Jesus did speak of this), I don't believe it applies here.
I chose to accept all of my family members (Mom, Dad, and everyone else) because I love them. My mom would regularly ask me who I thought was right. I told her, that it doesn't matter what I think about who is right or wrong because I have not been called by God to mediate in quarrels between family members, but I have been called to love everyone, and that's what I'm trying to do. Needless to say, there is a gap in our understanding of each other.
After nearly a year of waiting for her to pick up the phone, write me an e-mail, or a letter (impersonal, but it's still something), I understand that I can't do that. I have to move forward in grace and let her know that while I disagree with her position, especially towards me, I love her and nothing or no one could ever change that. At this point all I can do is make an attempt to reach out, let go, and let God fix it. I can't expect to be able to fix our relationship by relying on my own or her understanding (as we see how well that has worked out for the last year). I have to rely on God's grace to work in her heart. Even though she isn't a believer, it doesn't mean God can't work in her life. He still loves her, and so do I.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for working in my heart like this. Thank You for speaking to me through Your word so I can move forward in grace. Your love is such a blessing to me. I pray for Your strength as I attempt to reach out. I trust that You will work to build the bridge that we have burned, because You are the only One capable of doing so. I pray that although my mother hasn't accepted You in her life, that You will no doubt work in her heart so that she will move forward in grace as well. In the name of Your Precious Son Jesus Christ, Amen!
God Bless!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment