It's Payback

Remember the Lord will pay you for each good thing you do, whether you are slave or free. Ephesians 6:8 The Living Bible

Good Morning Girlfriends:

When my husband and I were living in the home where he had grown up, his father and I had been talking about many things of the Bible this one day, which we usually did on a daily basis, he shared a true story with me.

Living up on a hill overlooking the beautiful ocean, my father in law was able to let his dog run around out in their yard for exercise as it often did throughout the day, and at the end of each day the dog would wait at the mailbox for the children to get off of the bus. He had shared with me that the dog was very gentle and friendly with the children and and didn't even seem to bother if strange people had come into the yard to visit.

Day after day, the children were excited to see their dog sitting by the mailbox for them, as he waited for the bus to stop so the children could get off and greet him with many loving pats on the head, then up over the hill they always walked together to go home. This one day as the bus was approaching the daily drop off spot for the children to get off, they had noticed that their dog was there waiting for them but he was not up wagging his tail but curled up by the mailbox. Stepping off the last step of the bus, the children had realized that their dog had been badly hurt, as they ran home to tell their father.

As my father in law had continued to share the story, he added that they had a neighbor that lived across the road that seemed to have a mean streak, and had been seen several times swerving his vehicle as he tried to hit their dog. As days had went by, he told me that people had came to him letting him known that they had seen it happen the day the dog had been at the mailbox, the evidence was exposed. The family had wanted him to press charges against the neighbor, but he felt not to do that, he knew that God would deal with it and he would not have to lift a finger. (Exodus 14:14 ESV)

After leaving slavery, Moses and the people were standing at the waters edge of the sea, as the people began to whine and complain that the Egyptians were after them, Moses had reassured them that they would never see them again, that the Lord would fight for them and they would not have to lift a finger. As God had told Moses to keep the people moving, and for Moses to hold out his rod over the water and the sea would open up to make a path for them to cross through, and that is what they did, walked through to safety as the Egyptians were swallowed up in the water, which closed in over them.

1 Thessalonians 5:15 tells us that we are not to seek to repay anyone evil for evil, but always do good to one another and that is just what my father in law had done. Paul had also told believers who had suffered injustice not to avenge on their own but that the Lord would repay, read Romans 12:14-21.

Girlfriends, many of us have suffered many things in our lives, but when we stay closely connected with God's word, we know that God has seen it all, He has heard every evil and wrong conversation and it is God who will give the payback, not us, we won't have to even lift a finger. I love where it says in Proverbs 20:26 that we are not to take it upon ourselves to repay a wrong. Trust in the Lord and He will make it right. God also reminds us in His word, that when we are kind to those who do us wrong, and we are to bless them, God in return will bless us. (1 Peter 3:9, Prov. 11:25-26)

We are reminded to walk in love, and love those who persecute us, who do us wrong, we are to forgive them and let the love of Jesus in us shine through. (Matt. 5:44, Luke 6:27, Romans 12:14) When we do this, when we pray for those people who hurt us, we are then released from holding onto any hurt, bitterness towards them, we will be free, therefore in return God will bless us in a good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, Luke 6:38. We cannot help what other people do, but we have a choice in what we do about the things that other people do against us. God's way is the best way every time, Amen?

Let's Pray,

Father God, I thank You for another day that enables me to pray for others who are looking to the right thing. Lord, strengthen each one to continue to pray for those who do them wrong, to strengthen each one of us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Lord help us to keep a guard over our tongues from talking about all of the hurts that other people have done, but to keep our eyes focused on the one who truly loves us and is watching over us, so that You can bless us for standing on Your word which is pleasing in Your eyes, in Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Be blessed dear ones and pass the blessings on and thank you in advance for passing this message on.