“… Avoid quarreling, be gentle, show perfect courtesy toward all people… for we ourselves were once foolish… hated by others and hating one another.
BUT when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.” Titus 3:1-4
Heavenly Father, what a great prepping-passage for this upcoming weekend. We’re not to take our relational clues from those around us, but from the Gospel of your grace—from Jesus, himself, who is the Gospel.
Christ for us—our perfect salvation; Christ in us—our hope of glory; Christ over us—our peace in a chaotic cosmos; Christ under us—our safe collapsing zone; Us in Christ—our “it’s almost too good to be true.”
Father, your “goodness and loving kindness” are 1000 times more worthy of our attention than the “hating one another” going on all around us. Because you have washed us and are renewing us by the Holy Spirit, free us this whole weekend to “avoid quarreling, be gentle, and show perfect courtesy toward all people.” That sounds SO attractive, beautiful, and timely. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ bodaciously beautiful name.
