A Holy So That
Do your kids ask "why?" My youngers do. All. the. time.
What I've found is that the "why" comes most often when I'm asking them to do something they don't want to do.
Clean up your room.
Why?
Take out the trash.
Why?
Elbows off the table.
Why?
Stop hitting your sister.
Why?
Go to your room.
Why?
It never, and I mean never, comes when they are getting something they want. Imagine this.
Here, have a cookie.
Why?
You may watch a movie.
Why?
You may spend the night at your cousins.
Why?
Let's go out for ice cream.
Why?
No chores today!
Why?
Doesn't happen around here.
But God gives us the why all the time.
His why is usually in the form of so that. At one point I kept a running list of so thats in the back of my Bible. I still underline every so that I come across.
Although there are times God expects a no questions asked type of obedience, he also gives us these holy whys so that we understand the outcome of doing life with him.
This is what we get today. A holy so that.
And it is my prayer, that your love may abound more and more with knowledge and discernment so that you may approve what is excellent and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus, to the praise and glory of God. Philippians 1:9-11
This overflowing agape thinking love comes with a why, a holy so that. Isn't that great?
so that you may approve what is excellent and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus, to the praise and glory of God. Philippians 1:9-11
Let's just walk through this.
- When you have this overflowing agape thinking love that is coming from Jesus,
- when you are a wellspring of eternal life bringing life to everyone around you,
- when you are a cup filled with sweet water so that when you are jarred, only sweet water splashes out...
you'll know the best way to walk through life. And when you're walking through this life testing, approving, and living in the most excellent way, here's what you will experience:
- a life of personal purity,
- a life of fruitfulness,
- a life that inspires others to praise God
You won't have to strive for this. It will be the outcome of overflowing agape thinking love.
And then on that day, that day when Jesus returns you will be so happy to meet him. You will be awestruck, but you won't be afraid. Because you will be pure and blameless before him. The fruitfulness of your life will be proof that you have sent your roots down deep into streams of living water. And you will be shoulder to shoulder with people who give God glory for his work in your life.
All this because overflowing agape thinking love flows through your life. And that's a holy so that!
And it is my prayer, that your love may abound more and more with knowledge and discernment so that you may approve what is excellent and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus, to the praise and glory of God. Philippians 1:9-11
What about this holy so that inspires you? Leave a comment below. And, if your comment is a bit more personal than you can share below, you are welcome to email me at cynthiafin@gmail.com.
If you're joining us for the first time today, welcome to the riverside! We're almost two weeks in to a verse-or-two-a-day walk through of the book of Philippians. Philippians was written by Paul to the church of Philippi while he was in prison. Paul LOVED this church and he wrote to encourage them. The church of Philippi was started when Paul and Timothy connected with a group of women at the riverside. So that's what we're doing... connecting at the riverside. Glad you've joined us!
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