Thursday 11 April 2024

Psalm 85

Background

Today’s passage from Paul’s letter to the Romans is hard-hitting and challenging. Paul sets out in 11 verses the need for us to live clear and upright lives which are above reproach. A tall order!

We have a forgiving God but all too often the Christians in Rome took this for granted ‘despising the riches’ of God’s kindness. Paul told them bluntly that they were trading on God’s mercy rather than living out the characteristics of faith. I guess we are all guilty of that, at least from time to time.

Paul uses three wonderful words in verse 4 which deserve noting: kindness, forbearance and patience.

No matter how far we stray from the faith, God has come to us in Christ and shows us the difference that kindness, forbearance and patience make to others.

Apply those words to any of the acts of Jesus we see in the gospels and see the result. We see it in John 3:1-21 when Jesus is in conversation with Nicodemus, a questioning pharisee, who comes by night wondering about true faith. We find it in the very next chapter of John’s Gospel (John 4:1ff) when Jesus talks with a woman of dubious repute and sets her on course for a full and fulfilled life, or in Luke 19:1-10 when Jesus invites himself to stay with a dodgy tax collector and helps him see the error of his ways and live a faithful and honest life.

We see kindness, forbearance and patience at every step with Jesus. We receive these from Jesus and we are challenged to live them out every moment of every day. And the wonder is that if we live that way – or at least seek to do so – we will see God do amazing things in us and in others.

So give it a go. Don’t risk the judgment of God but live out kindness, forbearance and patience and see what you get in return – surely not the judgment of God!

To Ponder:

• What acts of kindness have I offered recently?
• Where do I need to practise forbearance?
• When is my patience tested and what can I do to be more patient?
• Listen to a wonderful hymn: ‘Great God of wonders (Who is a pardoning God like thee?)’

Prayer

Lord, when it is so easy to criticise, help me to encourage;
when it is so easy to grumble, help me to be thankful;
when it is so easy to hold back, help me to offer;
when it is so easy to complain, help me to appreciate;
when it is so easy to hold a grudge, help me to forgive;
when it is so easy to put down, help me to build up;
when it is so easy to be negative, help me to be positive;
when it is so easy to be despondent, help me to be hopeful.
And give me the will and strength to do this. Thank you, Lord, Amen.

Bible notes author: The Revd Andy Fyall
Andy Fyall is Chair of the Nottingham & Derby District with oversight of New Places for New People. He is married to Helen, also a Methodist minister, and is dad to Hannah and Matthew. He served in the Cardiff and Nottingham (South) and Stamford Circuits, before returning to Nottingham in 2022. In his spare time Andy enjoys spending time with his family as well as walking, cycling, cooking and choral singing.