Respect!

On By ladyceeIn Blog posts

 

The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Gerd Altmann at Pixabay.com

 

Q:        What is Five Minute Friday?

A:        It is a 5min free write blog event hosted by Kate Motaung. Every Thursday Kate announces a one-word prompt at 10pm EST. The link-up is open for a full week, until the following Thursday evening. For further details on how to participate click HERE. 

 

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FMF WORD PROMPT: RESPECT

Respect.

I have a lot of time, respect and admiration for those who have walked the Christian path before me successfully. People like my mother. Like Bob Gass (writer of the UCB Devotional*) and my very first pastor and Father in the faith, Archbishop Malachi Ramsay. I have great respect for those who not only talk the talk, but walk the walk!

Respect.

It is earned. Not demanded.

We give respect to one another for various reasons and under various circumstances. However, the fact that certain organisations exist, show that there is a need for people to be forced to give others respect. I refer to organisations such as Black Lives Matter, which exists solely because respect has been withheld from fellow human-beings, simply because of the colour of their skin!

As Christians, do we truly respect one another? And if we say we do, do we only show respect to those who fall within our cultural comfort zones? Do we only respect those whom we like, or are like us?

The Pharisees, Sadducees, priests and scribes did not respect Jesus. They insulted him (he casts out demons by the prince of demons), they plotted against him, and they questioned his pedigree.

[End of 5 mins]

Do you know God shows every single human being on this planet respect? He grants every one the respect to choose. To choose to acknowledge him and live a life that honours and glorifies him, or to go your own way and live your life, as you see fit.

God does not force anyone to serve him. And even when we make that commitment to follow Jesus, to acknowledge and accept God’s magnanimous gift of salvation, he does not force us to obey him. He respects the fact that he has given us a free will and he respects our decision to exercise that free will, in whatever way we choose.

Now the individuals named above (my mother, Bob Gass and Malachi Ramsay) have all passed on from this world but I have no doubt they have entered into glory. Whilst they were here on earth, they respected the gifts and callings God placed upon their lives, they respected the privilege they’d been given as Children of God, and sought to live their best lives, sought to love, encourage and influence those around them. I thank God for their lives. I thank God for their legacies.

But I cannot conclude this post without giving thanks to Jesus. If it were not for him, if it were not for the fact that he chose to despise the cross and endure the shame, if it were not for his choice to leave behind his prestigious position in heaven and come to earth, to suffer a cruel and ignominious death, then my mother, Bob Gass, Malachi Ramsay would not have had the opportunity to be reconciled to God. They would not have had the choice of serving him and blessing the Body of Christ and being an example to those who came within the sphere of their influence.

So today, I pay homage and utmost respect to Jesus, my Lord, my Saviour, my soon-coming King!

 

Son of the Most High God,

You are Heir of all things.

You are King of kings,

Lord of lords,

And the Prince of Peace.

You are Alpha and Omega,

The Beginning and the End –

The First and the Last.

Blessed and only Potentate,

You who dwells in

Unapproachable light,

Receive my humble homage today,

For to you belong all honour,

All glory, and everlasting power.

Amen.

© Carol Hind (an extract from Petitions From My Heart)

Have a blessed weekend!

With love,

Carol (aka Lady Cee)

The effectual, fervent prayer avails much!

 

Are you looking for a resource that will help and encourage you to develop a consistent and confident prayer life? If so, don’t hesitate to check out the links below.

 

AMAZON UK https://amzn.to/3ciUt1q

AMAZON US https://amzn.to/3bj6gM1

 

 

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*Free postal copies of UCB Word For Today (UK and Republic of Ireland only) are available from: FREEPOST RLTX-ABUL-GRAR, United Christian Broadcasters, Westport Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 4JF

For the online version visit: UCB

 

4 thoughts on “Respect!”

  1. Respect and trust are kith and kin;
    this, in life, I’ve learned,
    and both are prizes we must win,
    for they must be earned
    through slow degrees and slower days,
    through virtue’s hard-won toil;
    they come not from a public praise
    nor an anointed oil,
    but grow like some great mighty trees,
    alone in forest stand,
    reaching to the mysteries
    that few can understand
    that the faithful soul defines,
    and, through honest work, refines.

    #1 at Five Minute Friday this week.

    Liked by 2 people

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