Take Branches

In Leviticus 23 we are first told to rejoice…

On the first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees—and rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days.

I love this celebration.  God loves celebration.  He set forth this particular one by instructing the people to take branches from “luxuriant trees” and use them in their rejoicing before the Lord for seven days!

Remember in the New Testament, when Jesus entered the town on a donkey, people waved palm branches, lining the pathway for their King.

What a fun thing it would be to do with our kids, our spouses, or our friends – to gather in a park somewhere and perhaps gather branches that have fallen from trees – and have a celebration of praise.

Branches waving in the wind make a cool noise, like something is about to happen, the winds are blowing in a time of change – like a change of season.

Waving branches requires movement on our part, lifting our arms and moving them back and forth, purposefully praising and rejoicing – much like we do in worship – only without branches.

And waving branches is joining in with God’s creation that sways and bends in the wind in applause to their Creator every time the breezes blow.

I want to celebrate all of the goodness of God in my life, and I want to live a life of rejoicing, and sometimes I want to actually wave some branches.

Will you join me?

Again

Phlippians 4 says, Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. 

I feel a need to rejoice in my life.  The act of rejoicing in the Lord is healing in many ways. 

It takes our focus off our circumstances and onto the Lord and his mercies shown to us.

It is a purposeful action of the will to show great delight in something, regardless of how we feel.

It is obedience to the word of God, and it’s something we can do always…it’s eternal…therefore of great value.

After we are told (twice here ) to rejoice, we are then told to let our “gentleness” be evident to all.  After a bit of reading, it seems this phrase means to let others see how “moderate” we are to outward things and how keen we are to inward things.

In other words, we all live in a fallen world with hardships and sorrow.  However, how we react to the world around us is what separates us from those who don’t know Christ.  He is our hope.  He is our calling.  He is our savior.  He is our everything.

Therefore, we have every reason to rejoice – always – again – and again.

Feeling Useless?

II Peter 1:  and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is the last verse that pops up with the word “kindness” in it in the bible.

It reminds us that if these things (godliness, kindness and love) are increasing in our lives, we won’t EVER feel useless or unfruitful.

I’ve heard many come to certain points in their lives where they begin to question their direction, their purpose, and even their vocation on earth.  If not grounded in the truth, these people can become listless, unfruitful, and useless for the Kingdom because they are depressed and unable to see and realize God’s kindness in their lives.

When we pray, we can ask God to increase the three things in our lives.  We can ask him to provoke us to kind deeds, to give us eyes to see those who need a kind word, to open our hands to share with those who are in need, and to do all of this with love.

This kind of prayer is one that God answers with a big, “Yes!” because we are walking in the Spirit, in his image, bearing his name in a way that brings glory to Him.

Be kind to one another.

Be fruitful.

And you’ll never fell useless.

Have you Tasted It?

I Peter 2 says,  like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.

Have you tasted the kindness of the Lord?

There’s a verse that says “taste and see” that the Lord is good.

When we’ve tasted some delicious entrée at a restaurant, you can be sure we rant about it to our friends.  When my kids crave a delicious taste of a latte’ on our vacations, we have to stop and get one – because they love the flavor!  Tasting and swallowing are all part of the process of growth, physically.

It’s no different, spiritually.

God pours his kindnesses on us daily.  All we have to do is open up our hands, our eyes, and our hearts and receive the kindness he grants us in peace, health, provision, etc.

Once we taste his kindness, this makes us want more.  it’s so delightful, we want to revel in the kindness of God.

But reveling in God’s kindness, although good and joyful, only lasts until the next trial or trouble and we’re on our faces again asking for his kindness to be shown to us.

There are people out there craving a taste of the Lord’s goodness, and they just don’t know where to drink, what to sample, or they’re afraid to sip.

It’s up to us to long for his word so that we can grow, to taste the kindness of the Lord, and offer a neighbor a sip and a recommendation of that which is oh, so good!

Put it On

Colossians 3:

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;

Just a few more days on this study on “kindness.”

Here we see that being kind is something we have to “put on.”

It’s up to us to be compassionate.  We must see others in their need and be stirred to action.

It’s up to us to show kindness by deeds of selflessness.

It’s up to us to be humble, gentle and patient as we are kind toward others.  In other words, we don’t broadcast about how kind we are, we don’t show kindness only to those who are kind to us, and we are patient with even the most undeserving of kindness.

Why?

Because we too are undeserving of kindness, yet He showed us kindness, and it led us to Him.

Always remember the kindness you have been shown, and then you will be able to wear the garment of kindness that you can share with others in need of an action of love.

It is the Gift

Ephesians 2…so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

The greatest kindness shown to mankind is the gift of God sending his son Jesus to die for us, so that we might live. That is the supreme act of kindness, one that has never been topped, and never will be.

Not only was God’s kindness shown to us, but we didn’t do anything to deserve the kindness.  He was just kind, because he loves us.

In fact, that kindness of sending his son surpasses all riches that we could acquire in a lifetime.  It’s the ultimate gift – more than winning Wheel of Fortune – more than becoming famous on The Voice – and more than winning the biggest winnings in the lottery!

When we realize what a gift we have been given, we will open our hands to let that gift spill out to those around us.

And when others receive true kindness that comes from one who is walking in His Spirit, they will want to know this kind God that we serve.

5th on the List

Galatians 5: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

This is a list of things that are evident in the lives of those who walk by the Spirit, obeying the Lord and his commands, loving Him and loving others.

I love that kindness is among this list of 9.

Many times we want the love, joy, and peace of God to rule in our hearts and lives, but we ignore the other fruit.

Being full of kindness is not easy when we are focused on what WE need from our walk in the Spirit.  We get caught up in life’s demands and we beg for God’s joy to come and fill our empty hearts.  We suffer a loss or become confused about our future and we want and desire God’s peace.  And who doesn’t want God’s love to be shown to us daily?

But when is the last time we prayed and asked God to enable us to exhibit and desire the fruit of kindness?

I’m convinced that if become truly kind toward others, the love, joy and peace of God will rule in our own hearts. 

We want God’s kindness shown to us even when we mess up, even when we fail, and even when we shake our fist at Him because we don’t understand.

And God shows us kindness again and again, so that we too will be kind to others.

Lord, grant us the fruit of kindness.