Seasoned With Grace!
Reflection: Both the Psalm today and the readings from Isaiah show God’s
protection for His beloved. The language
again today speaks of how God will send the bridegroom, Christ, to accomplish
His purpose in the Bride, the Church. We
see God’s plan to protect the Vineyard and make sure it bears fruit. God chose Israel to be the Vine from which He
would bless all the nations. Though
Israel would have trials and tribulations as a result of hardened hearts God
would prevail. This is summarized by the
words in Isaiah 63:8
“Surely they
are my people,
children who will be true to me”;
and so he became their Savior.
children who will be true to me”;
and so he became their Savior.
Then as we
move to the New Testament book of Colossians, Paul ends his short letter to
them with these words in chapter 4.
“4:2 Devote
yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray
for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim
the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I
may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you
act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let
your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may
know how to answer everyone.”
God’s
original purpose was that the people He set apart would be a blessing to the
nations, so that all people who know Him.
And he takes the apostle Paul from being a persecutor of Christians, to
one of the greatest missionaries of all times.
Notice Paul’s emphasis as he closes out this letter to the Church at
Colossae. He starts with prayer. He tells them to devote themselves to prayer
while being “watchful” and “thankful”.
These are
two great aspects of prayer: watchfulness
and thankfulness. We don’t normally think of prayer as watching,
but more of speaking words. But part of
prayer is being aware of what the Holy Spirit is telling us. Part of prayer, is listening to what the
Spirit might be saying to us about what God might want to do in our lives, and
in the lives of those around us who call on His name, or have yet to call on
His name.
I can
personally tell you this can be challenge to be still, and wait and watch on
the Lord. We would rather be doing
things than waiting. We are urgent to do
God’s work for Him. But yet unless we
wait and watch on Him, we often might be moving out more in our own flesh and
strength than God’s. This is a huge part
of devoted prayer that I know I need to grow in.
And the
other huge aspect of prayer is thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving for our lives, for all of blessings in it, and most of all
God’s riches in Christ! If we start our
day in thankful prayer it will set the attitude for our day!
Finally,
Paul prays that the Colossians would be wise in the way they act toward
outsiders making the most of every opportunity.
He admonishes them that their conversations should be “seasoned” and “full
of grace”. Seasoning makes things taste
better. Seasoning in Paul’s days helped
things from becoming rotten, since they didn’t have refrigerators. “Full of grace”, means full of charity. Luther’s
says in response to the 8th commandment, “Make the best possible
construction of your neighbor’s actions”.
In our conversations, do we make the worst possible construction of
neighbor’s actions, or do we look for the redeeming value and defend our
brothers and sisters in Christ. By doing
this the world will know we are different and living according to a different
value system. In the world, people look
to find flaws in others, so they will look better. “Not so!” says Paul, for the
believer in Christ. Our conversations
should build each other up and be seasoned with grace.
I hope there
is some encouragement in these words for you today. I know there is for me, I need to be reminded
of these practical truths often, as it is so easy for me to be all about me,
rather than looking to build up my neighbor!
May we make the most of the opportunities God gives us today to be full
of grace and be a seasoning to a world that needs it! Amen.
Psalm 91:1-8
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of
the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
Isaiah 62,63
Zion’s New
Name
62 For
Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet,
till her vindication shines out like the dawn,
her salvation like a blazing torch.
2 The nations will see your vindication,
and all kings your glory;
you will be called by a new name
that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.
3 You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand,
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
4 No longer will they call you Deserted,
or name your land Desolate.
But you will be called Hephzibah,
and your land Beulah;
for the Lord will take delight in you,
and your land will be married.
5 As a young man marries a young woman,
so will your Builder marry you;
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
so will your God rejoice over you.
for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet,
till her vindication shines out like the dawn,
her salvation like a blazing torch.
2 The nations will see your vindication,
and all kings your glory;
you will be called by a new name
that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.
3 You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand,
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
4 No longer will they call you Deserted,
or name your land Desolate.
But you will be called Hephzibah,
and your land Beulah;
for the Lord will take delight in you,
and your land will be married.
5 As a young man marries a young woman,
so will your Builder marry you;
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
so will your God rejoice over you.
6 I have posted watchmen on your
walls, Jerusalem;
they will never be silent day or night.
You who call on the Lord,
give yourselves no rest,
7 and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem
and makes her the praise of the earth.
they will never be silent day or night.
You who call on the Lord,
give yourselves no rest,
7 and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem
and makes her the praise of the earth.
8 The Lord has sworn by his right
hand
and by his mighty arm:
“Never again will I give your grain
as food for your enemies,
and never again will foreigners drink the new wine
for which you have toiled;
9 but those who harvest it will eat it
and praise the Lord,
and those who gather the grapes will drink it
in the courts of my sanctuary.”
and by his mighty arm:
“Never again will I give your grain
as food for your enemies,
and never again will foreigners drink the new wine
for which you have toiled;
9 but those who harvest it will eat it
and praise the Lord,
and those who gather the grapes will drink it
in the courts of my sanctuary.”
10 Pass through, pass through the
gates!
Prepare the way for the people.
Build up, build up the highway!
Remove the stones.
Raise a banner for the nations.
Prepare the way for the people.
Build up, build up the highway!
Remove the stones.
Raise a banner for the nations.
11 The Lord has made proclamation
to the ends of the earth:
“Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your Savior comes!
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.’”
12 They will be called the Holy People,
the Redeemed of the Lord;
and you will be called Sought After,
the City No Longer Deserted.
to the ends of the earth:
“Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your Savior comes!
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.’”
12 They will be called the Holy People,
the Redeemed of the Lord;
and you will be called Sought After,
the City No Longer Deserted.
God’s Day of
Vengeance and Redemption
63 Who
is this coming from Edom,
from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson?
Who is this, robed in splendor,
striding forward in the greatness of his strength?
from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson?
Who is this, robed in splendor,
striding forward in the greatness of his strength?
“It is I,
proclaiming victory,
mighty to save.”
mighty to save.”
2 Why are your garments red,
like those of one treading the winepress?
like those of one treading the winepress?
3 “I have trodden the winepress
alone;
from the nations no one was with me.
I trampled them in my anger
and trod them down in my wrath;
their blood spattered my garments,
and I stained all my clothing.
4 It was for me the day of vengeance;
the year for me to redeem had come.
5 I looked, but there was no one to help,
I was appalled that no one gave support;
so my own arm achieved salvation for me,
and my own wrath sustained me.
6 I trampled the nations in my anger;
in my wrath I made them drunk
and poured their blood on the ground.”
from the nations no one was with me.
I trampled them in my anger
and trod them down in my wrath;
their blood spattered my garments,
and I stained all my clothing.
4 It was for me the day of vengeance;
the year for me to redeem had come.
5 I looked, but there was no one to help,
I was appalled that no one gave support;
so my own arm achieved salvation for me,
and my own wrath sustained me.
6 I trampled the nations in my anger;
in my wrath I made them drunk
and poured their blood on the ground.”
Praise and
Prayer
7 I will tell of the kindnesses of
the Lord,
the deeds for which he is to be praised,
according to all the Lord has done for us—
yes, the many good things
he has done for Israel,
according to his compassion and many kindnesses.
8 He said, “Surely they are my people,
children who will be true to me”;
and so he became their Savior.
9 In all their distress he too was distressed,
and the angel of his presence saved them.
In his love and mercy he redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them
all the days of old.
10 Yet they rebelled
and grieved his Holy Spirit.
So he turned and became their enemy
and he himself fought against them.
the deeds for which he is to be praised,
according to all the Lord has done for us—
yes, the many good things
he has done for Israel,
according to his compassion and many kindnesses.
8 He said, “Surely they are my people,
children who will be true to me”;
and so he became their Savior.
9 In all their distress he too was distressed,
and the angel of his presence saved them.
In his love and mercy he redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them
all the days of old.
10 Yet they rebelled
and grieved his Holy Spirit.
So he turned and became their enemy
and he himself fought against them.
11 Then his people recalled the days
of old,
the days of Moses and his people—
where is he who brought them through the sea,
with the shepherd of his flock?
Where is he who set
his Holy Spirit among them,
12 who sent his glorious arm of power
to be at Moses’ right hand,
who divided the waters before them,
to gain for himself everlasting renown,
13 who led them through the depths?
Like a horse in open country,
they did not stumble;
14 like cattle that go down to the plain,
they were given rest by the Spirit of the Lord.
This is how you guided your people
to make for yourself a glorious name.
the days of Moses and his people—
where is he who brought them through the sea,
with the shepherd of his flock?
Where is he who set
his Holy Spirit among them,
12 who sent his glorious arm of power
to be at Moses’ right hand,
who divided the waters before them,
to gain for himself everlasting renown,
13 who led them through the depths?
Like a horse in open country,
they did not stumble;
14 like cattle that go down to the plain,
they were given rest by the Spirit of the Lord.
This is how you guided your people
to make for yourself a glorious name.
15 Look down from heaven and see,
from your lofty throne, holy and glorious.
Where are your zeal and your might?
Your tenderness and compassion are withheld from us.
16 But you are our Father,
though Abraham does not know us
or Israel acknowledge us;
you, Lord, are our Father,
our Redeemer from of old is your name.
17 Why, Lord, do you make us wander from your ways
and harden our hearts so we do not revere you?
Return for the sake of your servants,
the tribes that are your inheritance.
18 For a little while your people possessed your holy place,
but now our enemies have trampled down your sanctuary.
19 We are yours from of old;
but you have not ruled over them,
they have not been called by your name.
from your lofty throne, holy and glorious.
Where are your zeal and your might?
Your tenderness and compassion are withheld from us.
16 But you are our Father,
though Abraham does not know us
or Israel acknowledge us;
you, Lord, are our Father,
our Redeemer from of old is your name.
17 Why, Lord, do you make us wander from your ways
and harden our hearts so we do not revere you?
Return for the sake of your servants,
the tribes that are your inheritance.
18 For a little while your people possessed your holy place,
but now our enemies have trampled down your sanctuary.
19 We are yours from of old;
but you have not ruled over them,
they have not been called by your name.
Colossians 4:1-9
4 Masters,
provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also
have a Master in heaven.
Further
Instructions
2 Devote yourselves to prayer,
being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God
may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ,
for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it
clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward
outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your
conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know
how to answer everyone.
Final
Greetings
7 Tychicus will tell you all the
news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in
the Lord. 8 I am sending him to you for the express purpose
that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your
hearts. 9 He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear
brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening
here.
I, the Lord, am the vineyard's keeper; every moment I water it. I guard it night and day so that no one can harm it. Isaiah 27:3
May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23
Dear Lord, in this world of need, help us to know we are called to labor in your vineyard. May your presence speak to us and encourage us as we work in your name. Grant us your peace. Amen.
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