Ellen Chauvin | Soaked & Sprouting

Soaked in God's Word, Sprouting Seeds of Faith

The Angry Weed Eater

by 4 Comments

The noise of the weed eater wasn’t the gentle, rhythmic sound I was accustomed to. The weed eater was struggling against overgrown weeds. It sounded frustrated. Angry even. 

Maybe it was because of what I had told my hubby earlier. 

“Honey, instead of watching the neighbors work on their project, you could actually get something done at our house. Like mow the lawn and weed eat.” 

Maybe my tone wasn’t sugar sweet, but he looked at me like I had accused him of being – oh, I don’t know – lazy, maybe?

I went inside to finish up some other things while he did the yard work. That’s when my thoughts began to roam free. There were no boundaries where they went. I imagined John angry at me for bossing him around. I imagined he was seething because I had told him what to do on his weekend off. Then I heard the weed eater.

“Huh! I knew he was mad at me. I can tell by the sound of the weed eater!”

Bellingrath Gardens and Home, Theodore, AL

The weed eater sound? Really Ellen??

Goodness, it’s no wonder scripture tells us to take our thoughts captive. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Turns out, John was not mad at all! The weed eater, on the other hand, may have been a bit cranky at having to work…

But my husband was responding in love and getting things done around the yard.

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:7 ESV

Love believes all things. It believes the best of others. It believes the goodness of others. 

What I saw was love in action. What I believed was the silly sound of imagined anger from a weed eater. What I should have believed was that love would win the day, not a piece of angry lawn equipment!

When have your thoughts and emotions run astray? How do you bring them back to reality and truth?

Father, I thank you that we have your Word to show us truth. I thank You that when emotions run amok, we can turn to You and with Your power, we can capture our thoughts and bring them into obedience to You. Praise You Lord God for guiding us! In Jesus name, Amen

Grace be with you,

Ellen

PS – Happy 26th anniversary to my sweet weed eating, grass mowing hubby!

 

Loving Eternally

by Leave a Comment

The apostle Paul really knew how to handle conflict. 

Just look in the book of Philemon. This book is a very personal letter from Paul. It concerns Onesimus, a slave who had run away from Philemon, his master in Colossae. Onesimus ended up in Rome, possibly hoping to become anonymous in that large city. But he just so happens (really? God’s sovereignty at work!) to run into Paul, and became a believer in Jesus as Messiah. 

Paul then writes Philemon to apprise him of the situation, and sends the letter to Colossae via Onesimus! It seems that Paul was sending Onesimus to his death. According to Roman law, Philemon could have Onesimus executed for running away.

Save for one thing.

Love.

I appeal to you, instead, on the basis of love…Philemon 9a CSB 

Paul, as an apostle and also a leader in the church, could have commanded Philemon to take Onesimus back (Philemon 8). He could have easily pulled rank on Phil. But he didn’t. Paul let love rule the day. 

Why?

Philemon is a fellow brother in Christ. Now remember, this is the early church, so everyone is a new Christian. Paul sent Onisimus back as an example of what is right, an example for Philemon to follow. Paul was hopeful, based on Phil’s love and faith, that he would do the right thing. 

Paul knew that the church in Colossae had been refreshed through Philemon (v7). He knew that Philemon had experienced the love and forgiveness of Christ in his own life. And Paul knew this: the more you know and experience Christ, the more you want to share what you have received. 

Philemon had received forgiveness, freedom and love. Out of that overflow, Paul was confident that he would extend the same to Onisimus.

Paul also remind Philemo that Onesimus is useful to them both (v9). Again, this is the early church. Paul and the church leaders needed fellow workers. 

“…the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” Matthew 9:37

Paul didn’t appeal to Philemon as a superior (an apostle of Jesus), nor did he appeal to him on the basis of slave versus free. Paul appealed to him in light of eternity. He knew more workers were needed to spread the gospel, the good news. Paul knew more souls needed saving. And isn’t that the kind of love we should all have?

“Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14

Grace and peace to you,

 

 

Do you know Jesus?