CAUGHT MY EYE

Related image    The book of Romans is always a perplexing, in your face, and convicting read...at least to this finite and flawed one.  Romans 2:1 caught my eye: "You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else; for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things."  This is one of my flaws....judgment and a critical spirit, and I have confessed and addressed it over the years.  Reminder:  I must stay alert to this sin!

I come to Romans 14 in my reading for this am; the Spirit of God brought it to my attention again: "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters."  "You, then, why do you judge your brother?  Or why do you look down on your brother?  For we will all stand before God's judgment seat.  It is written:   'As surely as I live says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me, every tongue will confess to God."    I checked out the word, judgment, in the Greek.  Meanings:  decide, try, condemn, punish, avenge, damn, decree, ordain, call into question, and sentence to. 

Luke 18:8-14 comes to my mind as I  envision everyone in church praying. The sinner/tax collector prays and could not even raise his head as he beat his breast, "God have mercy on me a sinner."  The other pray-er, the Pharisee, STANDS and prays about himself:  "God, I thank you that I am not like other men-robbers-evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get."  Jesus' evaluation of the two men?  The tax collector "went home justified before God.  For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted." 

Thank You, dear Spirit of God, for the REMINDER.  I desire that Your Word doesn't just catch my eye, but bring about repentance and confession.  Thank You, Lord Jesus that my sin of pride, judgmental, and critical spirit were nailed to the Cross as You paid the price for my sins.  Thank you for forgiveness and grace.  Forever learning.  In process.  #IHAVETHREESONS 

 

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