Colossians 3:12-17 Gratitude for our salvation allows us to love others like God does!

 Ephesians 4:2–4

with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace…

God requires me to love others like i do my own family. He created all people, not just those that society deems worthy, ALL. This includes all the people of all nations… male and female, Jew and Greek, those in nations that are a democracy and those that live in a dictatorship. All people!! All of creation is worthy in the eyes of God to be treated with respect and dignity. What I do to the least of anyone I do to God. Carla

Colossians 3:12-17

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as •Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God •the Father through Him. (NKJV)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly is apparently a parallel thought to Paul’s statement in Ephesians 5:18 where he says to be “filled with the Spirit.” The psalms are the psalms found in the Old Testament, the “songbook” of the early church as well as of Israel. The hymns would be the songs of the church that reflected the new truth in Christ.

Paul sums up how Christians should live. We should commit everything we do or say to Jesus and continually thank God for all His good gifts. The NKJV Study Bible

Originally, God chose the nation of Israel to be His people (Deuteronomy 14:2; Romans 9:4–5). However, because such distinctions are rendered irrelevant in Christ (Colossians 3:11), Paul affirms the Colossian believers as being among God’s chosen people.

Believers must have patience with one another, even while enduring difficult situations. Even in the community of believers, the actions of some offend or hurt others; how believers respond is critical. Experiencing God’s forgiveness shows that believers must forgive one another (Luke 7:47).

The Greek word used here for peace, eirēnē, refers to wholeness or the absence of conflict in a relationship. Paul commands the Colossians to express gratitude for the things they have and the people in their lives. Gratitude is a safeguard against grumbling and complaining, both of which can ruin a community.

The word of Christ refers either to the gospel message about Christ or to Christ’s teaching (as opposed to human philosophies or traditions; Colossians 2:8).

Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs refers to a variety of songs used in Christian worship, probably including the Old Testament  psalms. Faithlife Study Bible

Ephesians 4:32

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Ephesians 5:19–20

speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

1 Corinthians 10:31

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 

Colossians 1:28

Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

We are reminded that labels are a constraint, because once we label something, we can easily dismiss it.

"During a recent Center for Courage and Renewal conversation between author Terry Tempest Williams and Parker Palmer, Terry shared this story: After devastating flash floods struck her community, neighbors came together, not to debate their differences, but to share what they loved: the stars overhead, the sound of coyotes at night, the beauty of the land they called home.
'Right then,' Terry said, 'tenderness was born.'
From that tenderness came something powerful: trust.
Trust doesn't appear on its own. It's built when people listen deeply, stay connected to their values, and find the courage to care for one another." (Thank you, Center for Courage and Renewal)

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” Sabbath Moments

Psalm 34:18-19 By His stripes we are healed.

 Psalm 34:17

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears,

And delivers them out of all their troubles.

Trust in God to heal and restore all that satan has tried to destroy in your life. God can do what no one else can. Carla

Psalm 34:18-19

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,

And •saves such as have a contrite spirit.

19  Many are the afflictions of the righteous,

But the Lord delivers him out of them all. (NKJV)

The Lord hears. With slight variations, this is a reprise of verse 6. The Lord is near. When the Scriptures speak of God being near, it is to comfort the believer with a sense of His care. The NKJV Study Bible

God knows the distresses of the righteous.  While the psalmist indicated earlier that those who fear Yahweh will not suffer any want (Psalm 34:8–10), here he indicates they should not expect a trouble-free life. They can expect that Yahweh will be with them and will deliver them from their troubles. Faithlife Study Bible

Psalm 51:17

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,

A broken and a contrite heart—

These, O God, You will not despise.

2 Titus 3:11–12

persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 

Psalm 147:3

He heals the brokenhearted

And binds up their wounds.

Psalm 145:18

The LORD is near to all who call upon Him,

To all who call upon Him in truth.

 …life-giving when someone “sees” you—affirms you—and helps you remember that we are indeed on this journey together.
This kind of affirmation plants the seeds of gratitude—for connection, for honoring the sacred in one another. And yes, it brings us back to what really matters.
It brings us back to the people and moments that remind us why we are here.
Let us take a moment to think of people in our circles who may have “fallen”—and could value the gift of someone stopping and saying, “We see you. Are you okay? Can we help in any way?”

And this always does my heart good.

Who are your people? Who remind you that today is a good day to work to heal.  A good day to be vulnerable to being transformed. To right a wrong. To forgive (beginning with myself). To embrace. To offer a hand, or a kind word. Or both. Sabbath Moments

Romans 8:23-27 Our Hope is in You Lord!

 Romans 8:15–16

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 

If I seek first the Kingdom of God all things will be added to me. Holy Spirit intercedes for me when I do not know what to pray. When I seek God in the Bible I  find  Him  by His guidance He is my teacher. In my search for God’s will in my life He will use me to be His loving arms to those who need it most. I know that faith, hope and love are attributes given to me by God and the greatest of these is His love in my life. Carla

Romans 8:23-27

Not only that, •but we also •who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why •does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

26 •Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. •For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (NKJV)

The firstfruits of the Spirit may refer to the first workings of the Holy Spirit (8:9–11), which is a pledge of more work to come, like the redemption of our body. Otherwise, the expression firstfruits may be in apposition to the word Spirit; thus firstfruits is the Spirit. The firstfruits of a harvest was a foretaste of the harvest to come. So the Spirit, or His work, is God’s assurance of the greater blessings to come. Elsewhere the Spirit is called a “guarantee of our inheritance” (Ephesians 1:14).

Hope is a constant expectation of an unseen reality. We are saved by faith, but our hope is in the return of Christ in all His glory and our complete deliverance from our sinful natures.

If we are expecting something unseen, we wait with perseverance; that is, we are willing to endure the present. Though more may be involved in the concept of weaknesses, the primary reference here is to mental ignorance. The contrast offered by Paul in this verse is between our inability to know how to pray and the effective prayers of the Spirit Himself. The emphasis indicates that the Spirit Himself prays for us. He intercedes on our behalf before the throne of God (1 John 2:1). But His intercession cannot be uttered, which means it is “unexpressed, unspoken.” No language is in view here, only the inner groanings of the Spirit.

As children of God, we do not always know what to pray for or how best to pray (verse 26), but we can know the purpose of God which the Holy Spirit desires to accomplish. 

We work together for good. The primary reference of all things is the “sufferings of this present time” (verse 18). All circumstances will work together in cooperation for the believer’s good—that is, the believer will be conformed to Jesus Christ now and reign with Him later. Those who love God are in fact those who are the called by God. Our love is our response to the work of the Holy Spirit in us. We are called according to His purpose. God does everything, including redemption, in order to accomplish His overarching plan. The NKJV Study Bible

First fruits is an Old Testament expression referring to the first part of the harvest, which God designated for Himself and His priests (Leviticus 23:10; Deuteronomy 18:4). Here, its usage refers to God’s initial transformative work in His people, which will result in resurrection glory.

To groan expresses frustration with the present evil age and the anticipation of complete redemption.

In the New Testament, hope is not wishful thinking; it is a confident expectation in the fulfillment of God’s promises. Paul described Abraham as an example of hope in God. Present troubles are manageable when living in hope of future redemption.

Our weakness refers to people’s limited capacity and susceptibility to sin and death. Paul encourages the Roman believers that the Spirit does not condemn them in their weakness. Spirit himself intercedes for us.  Even with the assurance of future hope, believers who patiently endure suffering may, at times, face troubles that exhaust their strength and try their faith. Paul urges such believers to find encouragement in the intercession the Holy Spirit makes on their behalf in these circumstances. This is one aspect of how the Holy Spirit serves as an advocate (paraklētos) for followers of Christ. Unexpressed groanings may refer to the groaning of the Holy Spirit or the groaning of the believer (Psalm 1:1).

The one who searches our hearts is an expression of God’s omniscience. Paul tells the believers that God continues to work on their behalf, especially when they do not know what to pray for. Faithlife Study Bible

Galatians 5:5

For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 

Ephesians 6:18

praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

Jesus wanted the children to come to Him!

 I’ve heard a lot of sermons (homilies) in my life. A handful are still with me. And one or two made me very glad—grateful—to be alive.

Gratitude does that for every one of us. It brings you back to what is real, and to what really matters. It brings you back to the people and moments that remind you why you are here.

And this past week, I read a “speech” given to children (5-year-olds) at their pre-K graduation. Maria Shriver had attended her granddaughter’s graduation ceremony. She writes, “These children were full of hope, full of joy, full of friendship. They reminded the adults sitting in that yard what really matters in life.”
The speaker was teacher, Oscar Casillas.
And the speech? Well, it is for every one of us to take to heart.

“When you walked into our classroom last September, some of you were a little nervous. Some held your parents' hands extra tight. Now look at you, walking tall and proud.
This year, we didn't just learn letters and numbers. We learned how to be amazing people. Let's celebrate everything you accomplished together:
You learned to take responsibility for your actions, your belongings, and your work. When something went wrong, you stepped up and said, ‘That was me.’ That takes courage.
You practiced compromise—finding ways for everyone to be happy. You used your words instead of letting small problems become big ones. You learned to calm your body and mind and to ask for what you needed with kind, strong voices.
You grew in compassion. You realized every friend in our class is working on something, just like you. You took turns, waited patiently, listened when others spoke, and cheered for your classmates.
You became bucket fillers, not bucket dippers. You learned to include others and understood that whispering in someone's ear can make others feel left out.
You learned to let loose and have fun! Our dance parties reminded us how wonderful it is to move, laugh, and celebrate together. You used your imagination, turned ideas into creations, organized games, tried brand-new things, and found your big voices. You stood in front of your friends and spoke with confidence—and that is something to be very proud of.
You became mathematicians with clever strategies of your own. You asked thoughtful questions. Some of you started reading; others learned to spell or tried brave spelling. You learned to persevere because you now know that mistakes are okay and that failing is part of learning and growing. You embraced challenges because you discovered they are secret gifts that help us become better.
Most importantly, you learned that we are all in this together.
My dear graduates, you are now kinder, braver, smarter, and more confident than when you first walked through our gate. These lessons will travel with you into your new school and far beyond.
So as you move on to new adventures, remember:
Be responsible.
Be kind.
Have fun.
Use your words and your big voice.
Keep asking questions and never stop being curious.
Fill buckets every chance you get.
And always, always be yourself.”
(Thank you, Oscar Casillas)

“Gratefulness is not a feeling; it is a practice.” Rabbi Shefa Gold

Sabbath Moments

Amos 6:3-8 God will not be mocked.

Amos 3:10–13

For they do not know to do right,

‘Says the LORD,‘

Who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.’

“Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:

“An adversary shall be all around the land;

He shall sap your strength from you,

And your palaces shall be plundered.”…

What does God require of us? As His hands and feet we are to deliver justice for the marginalized and the poor, we are to forgive easily and to always, always walk  humbly with Him. When we hold up Christ and Him crucified for the sins of the world others will be drawn to Him and the love of God. God will not be mocked He hates pride and arrogance. Carla

Amos 6:3-8

3 Woe to you who put far off •the day of doom,

•Who cause the seat of violence to come near;

4 Who lie on beds of ivory,

•Stretch out on your •couches,

Eat lambs from the flock

And calves from the midst of the stall;

5 Who sing idly to the sound of stringed instruments,

And invent for yourselves musical instruments like David;

6 Who drink wine from bowls,

And anoint yourselves with the best ointments,

But are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

7 Therefore they shall now go captive as the first of the captives,

And those who recline at banquets shall be removed.

8 The Lord God has sworn by Himself,

The Lord God of hosts says:

“I •abhor the pride of Jacob,

And hate his palaces;

Therefore I will deliver up the city

And all that is in it.” NKJV)

You who put far off the day of doom refers to those who insisted that Israel was too strong for destruction to fall upon the nation any time soon.

This passage describes the extravagant living indulged in by the rich, and paid for with the wealth stolen from the poor. 

Meat was a luxury for most families of the ancient Middle East, consumed only on special occasions. Meat on a daily basis was the privilege only of the rich and powerful. The upper classes of Israel were so engrossed in their own privileges and luxuries that they cared nothing for the affliction of their fellow Israelites, though it was their transgressions that had caused it.

God’s judgment would be both fitting and ironic. Those who had fancied themselves the leaders of the nation would lead their nation into exile.

If God takes an oath, He takes it by Himself, for there is none greater than He. In his oracles against the seven nations Amos had prophesied the destruction of their palaces. Now it was Israel’s turn. Luxurious palace strongholds represented both the pride of Jacob in their own strength and the oppression of the powerless, whose stolen wealth had financed the construction of these palaces. God personally would see to the destruction of Samaria and its proud inhabitants. The NKJV Study Bible

This is a woe oracle (Amos 6:4–7) criticizing the sloth, gluttony, and drunkenness of the wealthy. According to Assyrian records, a couch with ivory inlay was part of the tribute the Judaean King Hezekiah delivered to Sennacherib (2 Kings 18:13–16). More than 500 ivory fragments dating to the ninth and eighth centuries bc have been found in excavations at Samaria. 

The leaders are consumed with self-indulgent pleasures. They ignore the rampant injustice and impending national disaster. Israel’s sin leads to inevitable judgment. Yahweh’s wrath will bring a total end to Israel.

Israel’s self-sufficient attitude and refusal to repent are signs of the great pride that will lead to their downfall.

Faithlife Study Bible

Amos 9:10

All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword,

Who say, ‘The calamity shall not overtake nor confront us.’

Amos 5:23

Take away from Me the noise of your songs,

For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.

This week, we’re remembering that embracing gratitude, and spilling good brings clarity, especially in times of uncertainty.
Isak Denison’s reminder that, “Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way, and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever.”
Gratitude brings us back to what is real, and to what really matters.
It brings us back to the people and moments that remind us why we are here.

And yet, difficult times can feel too big sometimes. We all have felt Undone. At wit’s end. (Or at the least, uncertain or disbelieving.)

Here's the deal: Hope sees the sacred in the ordinary moments of every day... even in those moments that may break our hearts. The ordinary, the hiding place for the holy.
Awareness: the permission to embrace life as it is, with all of its challenges and risks, to see beauty and wonder regardless of the vessel.

Gratitude does that for every one of us. It brings you back to what is real, and to what really matters. It brings you back to the people and moments that remind you why you are here.

Now, instead of shutting down (“I can’t”), I open (“I can”).
I can spill that astonishing light.
I can be a place of sanctuary, kindness, inclusion, mercy, acceptance, healing and forgiveness. Sabbath Moments