"We must look to the Lord for help when facing opposition and remember that the word of God is not bound." 2 Timothy 2:9. "The expression, "the tie that binds is used to describe a common idea or belief that links people together. It can also be used plurally as "the ties that bind." For example, you may say, "We are family, held together by the ties that bind. Nothing will tear us apart." Ramin Hosscini
Blessed Be The Ties That Bind
"Blessed be the ties that bind our hearts in Christian love; the Fellowship of kindred minds
is like to that above." Lyrics by John Fawcett
"You can cut the ties that bind, but not without losing a part of yourself. You can walk away and hide from the people who made you, but you'll always hear them calling your name." Lisa Unger
For those of you who have been reading my blogs, you know that many things inspire me to probe deeply into various topics. This time it is our world and our treatment of one another. Our world presents so many challenges that show a loosening of the ties, those things that we have in common, that have held us together as a people and a nation. Even within families there exists the kind of tension that does not promote harmony. We have strayed far away from joy. And yes, we may still have love, but try getting five people to explain what it means, much less show what it means; how it's practiced on an individual basis. I do believe that we have more in common than that which separates us. "The ties that bind us are stronger than the occasional stresses that separate us." Colin Powell.
There is a problem that we have that is so huge, we have labeled it "estrangement." Yes, people are electing to walk way from their families and family members on a whim or at will, just because they have had enough of them. The ties of love and committment have been broken. In many cases, beyond repair. "We are constrained to give our lives to God because of the love shown in the ultimate sacrifice of His Son." (2 Corinthians 5: 15-15). "Love is the sum of our choices , the strength of our commitments, the ties that bind us together." Emily Griffin. In too many cases, our love and commitment to God have also waned. Look around and you can see the results of this diminished love and commitment. Mainly, a lack of peace and contentment.
"Great rewards will come to those who can live together, work together, forge new ties that bind together."
William J. Clinton. As I was thinking about the state of politics (trust me, I am not delving deeply into this), but it has been a contentious situation for a while, and most definitely conribute to the breakdown of the ties that hold together the fabric of our country. There was a time when it did not matter which party you voted for (it should still be the same today), so long as you voted. I happened to catch a sermon by Pastor Roderick Ceasar III. He used for his scripture text, Colossians 3:1-4. "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also appear with Him in glory."
Pastor Ceasar spoke about how divided the country is on voting. He said, "God did not vote, but He has the final say. He said what God wants to know is if we are for Him or our own desires. Pastor Caesar says, "Do not let the issues of concern divide us." He said that we should follow scripture and "set your mind on things above. Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven, our focus should not be on the things of this world." Further, he said that we should focus on things that bind us together: our mindset, our responsibility to stand up to our leadership when we can and to pray for our leadership who were ordained by God; do not conform to this world but renew your minds, taking every thought captive. He said that we should be clear about our destination (where we are) and geography (where we are going). Our citizenship is in heaven." He concludes by saying that we should be bound in our surrender to the Lord, every decision is from the Lord, and we should be bound by service." Finally, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. Let's love and serve one another.
Whose side are you on? Before you answer, pray about it. Life is not easy; it was not meant to be. But, we have ties that hold us together, let's tighten them before we allow them to unravel.
Be thankful: No matter what is going on, know that we are always supported by a loving and caring God. He has promised to never leave or forsake us. Remember God's attributes and rest in the assurance that He is Who He says He is, and we can trust and rely on Him for anything and everything. Be thankful that we do not have to figure this life out all by ourselves. Not only is there a guide in His word, but sprinkled throughout our lives are people placed there by God to help us along the way.
Get in the word: Therein lies our source of strength, inspiration, wisdom and direction. In the scripture Colossians 3:1-4 (noted above), the apostle Paul in his letter to the Colossians, while imprisoned in Rome, was advising the Colossians to gain a deeper understanding of the truth based on their faith in Jesus Christ and not the rules of men whose motives may be for selfish gains. He admonishes them to to keep seeking things above where Christ is. They were to "walk in the Spirit by faith." Romans 8:4. "By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days." Hebrews 11:30. Read the bible daily and share the word with someone else. You will be blessed and prepared to bless someone else.
Pray often/daily: Take everything to God in prayer. He hears you, and will answer in His own way and in His own time. He knows what is best. Trust Him.
Stop criticizing and start encouraging. Be kind. Be patient. Bless God and bless someone else. Find joy in small things and then spread it to others. We must remember that no one is perfect, and at given seasons in our lives we need a kind word and/or a word that encourages us to keep moving. A smile, a pat on the back or a scripture can be just what we need. Be prepared to provide this.
Unite in Love: In summary, the apostle Paul says, "Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. We must unite under the leadership of our creator who not only knows what tomorrow will bring, but who is in charge of it. "We do not know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future." Let's follow Him. Let's get bound together by His love.
You can be bitter or you can be better. Stop being the victim and be the victor. "We have a choice. We can live in the past and be miserable and unhappy, or we can pick ourselves up and move ahead in life. When we choose to focus forward we can find the energy and ability to remove any obstacles that may appear to be hindering our smooth progression. If you take stock of yourself and find you may be spending time frequently reliving unhappy experiences of the past, make the decision to rid yourself of the ties that bind you to a former way of life." John Templeton
As a society, we have been trying to redefine everything and in the process we have lost sight of the main things (and as a result have lost a lot of our humanity). Let's restart: "Love God with all of your heart, mind and soul and love others as you love yourself." If we can just get back to this, the beginning, perhaps we can refresh/retighten those binds that have kept us together for all these many years.
We have a leader who is God and who is in charge of all things. Look to Him in everything. Earthly leaders come and go. God is eternal.
Honor the ties that bind that enhance your life; those ties ordained by God, and live your best life! God bless you!!
Yours Yvette,
Thank you for your continued support. I am most appreciative. You can comment at vttlane@gmail.com
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