Who is Buried in Grant’s Tomb?

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14

Tone

Don’t you hate it when you write a letter, an email, or an IM, and the person for which it was intended didn’t ‘get it’? Oh, I don’t mean that they didn’t receive it, but they just didn’t understand what you were trying to say. Quite often the problem is that it is difficult to convey attitude (our tone) when we write. Paul was having the same problem.

While these occurrences tend to frustrate and anger us, Paul chose to diffuse the tension with Godly praise. Why did Paul choose the high road, when we so often choose the low one? A clue is found in your refrigerator—tip it over and what falls out? The answer of course is, ‘whatever is inside of it’. The same is true for the heart: whenever it is nudged, it spills forth whatever is inside. Paul’s heart was filled with love and adoration for Jesus Christ.

What’s in your heart?

But You, O Lord, know me; You have seen me, And You have tested my heart toward You. Jeremiah 12:3a

How many of us see the ‘guy’ who cut us off on the road, or took our parking space as an answer to prayer. Did we not ask that the Lord to search our hearts? Did not our hearts spill-out before us as we slammed on the brakes to avoid a collision? Next time, instead of being angry with the person, let us be grateful to the Lord. After all, He revealed something about us and He responded to our prayers yet again! Can you imagine then thanking that guy for being used by God? Talk about an opportunity to witness!

...Beaten with rods…into prison, But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God…Suddenly…all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. Acts 16:22-26

Paul’s heart was filled with love for Jesus and when it’s disturbed, prayer and song springs forth. Please take notice, Paul did not have Acts 16 to read; he could not have surmised, “Ok Silas, we need to pray and sing so God will open these doors.” Paul merely did what he always did. Was the Lord responding to Paul’s adoration? Perhaps, but we know for certain He wasn’t responding to manipulation.

For He knows the secrets of the heart…Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties…And give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men) Psalms 139:23; 44:21b; 1 Kings 8:39b

What’s in your heart?

COMPASSION dave and the Jesus + Compassion Group (*where sponsors hang out)