Hello, Wednesday! Y’all ready to share your thoughts on Romans? If so, tell us what spoke to youdown in the comments. Next week we’ll talk about I Corinthians! Wow… We are so close to going through the entire Bible. I know a couple of you who have been reading along and will have completed the entire thing when we are done. I’m so proud of you, you have no idea!
Romans 14:12 (NIV)–So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Short verse, mighty meaning. I definitely won’t say this is my favorite verse in Romans (that would be 16:20), but it’s the one that jumped out at me. I am 100% convinced that I don’t take this verse seriously enough. Truly, this verse packs a strong punch when you really think about it, a punch that should make us consider every action we take.
Yesterday, I had writing to do so I flipped on my laptop… And spent a couple of hours lollygagging around the internet. Know what? I have to account for that time. Now, am I saying it’s wrong to take some time off? Definitely not. But when the general habit becomes play instead of work? Hm. Then there is a problem, especially when God’s instructed us to do something. Not that the belly of a fish is a fun place to be, but Jonah be more than happy to tell you: When God tells us to do something, we’d for sure better do it.
Not to get in any way political, but whenever I watch the news it makes me consider whether I spend more time complaining about the way things are going, or if I pray about the way things are going. My guess is there will be some accounting there too, and I’m not liking the way the adding machine looks for me on that one.
What would happen if we all took our accountability to God seriously? I’d love more than almost anything to see what the world would look like then, wouldn’t you?
-JB
Wise thoughts, friend. I think there are days I waste valuable time, time I could have spent praying instead of sleeping in, talking to the lady in the grocery line instead of whining internally that it’s taking too long, and the list goes on.
There is so much to be found in the book of Romans. I haven’t been reading it lately, I’m still moving around in Judges. 🙂
So far I think Romans is one of my favorite books. Looking back through this book I notice the most underlining so far. There were so many great verses that spoke to me in so many different ways.
Romans 12:2 – Do not conform any longer to the patter of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.
I love, love, love this verse. It is speaking to me so much at this time. As much as I hate moving, I love it as well. When we first arrive somewhere new, I find that is when I am closest with God. That is when I am seeking him the most and actually spending quiet time with him. When we first get to somewhere new, I have been able to ease into the world of people slowly. I have been able to focus on me for a bit before diving back into everyday life. I have been able to spend real, solid time in my bible, I have been able to run and I have been able to work out again getting my body back in tune with my mind and vice versa.
Standing at our house it looks like we live in the middle of nowhere Kansas, but if you go about a mile and a half in either direction, there is a lot going on. It is so peaceful and beautiful that you can’t help but see God everywhere here. I normally love having neighbors all around me (whether I talk to them or not), but right now in my world, this seems perfect. I feel like God has placed me in a place to step out of my usual pattern of the world and really transform my mine. I feel like this is a place I will really begin to see God’s will for my life but my marriage as well. I feel like this will be a place of amazing growth for me as an individual but as a wife as well. I pray it will be.
Anyway, that is where this verse is in my world today. It’s crazy how a verse can mean one thing to you one day and something very different another day. This verse has done that to me many times!
One of the blessings of Army life is having some “different” every once in a while. God definitely makes sure we have some change, and it’s when we learn to thrive in that change that we grow. Believe me… I’ve grown through a LOT of change…