What Are You Leaving Behind: Grace or Debris?


Thanks to the recent visit of tropical storm Lee, thousands of items of debris have been carried by the Susquehanna River and dumped into the Chesapeake Bay. In addition to the debris of nature (tree limbs, eroded soil, etc.), a lot of man-made items have found their way into the Bay, including mattresses, a yoga mat, a seat from a portable toilet, lumber and much, much more. But this does not really surprise anyone, given the extensive flooding which occurred on the river and its various tributaries. It is something we would expect to see.

This reminds me of life. We are a people who far too often live our lives in the flesh vs. in the Spirit. The Apostle Paul contrasts these two ways to live in Galatians 5:16-26. When we live according to the influence of our sinful nature, we leave a wake of debris behind us (just read Paul's description of the works of the flesh in verses 19-21 and you will readily see what I am talking about). However, when we walk in step with the Spirit of God, then he begins to grow His fruit in us. So would you rather have your life marked by sexual immorality, envy, anger (just to name a few) OR would you rather be known as a person of "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control?

Let's learn to live our lives 24/7 "in the Spirit." That's when we will begin to mark the landscape of our lives with grace rather than debris.

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj


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