Mindy’s Place

The Lord is so kind! He’s been actively working in my heart from so many directions. The main point I want to blog about is this. From Dave Harvey’s series “The Surgeon, The Scalpel and the Saint in Sin” which focuses in on self-righteousness he says that I should be “ruthless when fighting my own sin, but merciful and gracious concerning other people’s sin and weakness”. This is soooo helpful because my tendency is to focus on other people’s sin and to excuse and overlook my own.

A recent prophecy at church struck my heart. A man read the Scripture that talked about Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane praying and the disciples were sleeping. They were sinning!! Here’s what the man said, “If we’re sleeping in the garden of temptation instead of on our face crying out to the Father, it is Jesus who is gently waking us up.” And, I knew that God was speaking to me…let me encounter others in sin/weakness this way..with gentleness and humility, compassion, and patience…oh, how I need His help to do this!!

I am so aware of how I am constantly speaking to my children in unkind tones, frustration, pride, and a disbelief that they’ve done it again!! That same morning we sang this song:

You Have Captured Me

Verse One
I have tasted of a love
Sweeter than the honeycomb
And I have heard the symphony
Of Your whisper in my soul
But I am ruined for this world
For none compares with You my Lord

Chorus
For You have captured me
Completely captured me
And I’m consumed
With You and only You Jesus

Verse Two
There’s a grace I can’t resist
Loving arms are drawing me
And there’s a beauty far beyond
What eyes of flesh could ever see
For I’ve beheld with trembling joy
The sight of Calvary’s Scarlet Rose

Steve & Vikki Cook © 2000 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP)
All rights reserved. Use only by permission

Here’s a question I asked myself during this song: Is the love I display to my kids a love that captures them? Is it sweeter than honeycomb? Is it drawing them to the Savior or making them feel like they can never please me? How do you teach them they’re under the law without Christ? They are in danger if they don’t run to the cross.

I believe it’s my attitude…am I approaching their sin, weakness, foolishness with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience? Am I graciously pointing them to the same Savior that I need? Only by His grace, will I grow in this respect…and He’s pouring out His grace as I choose humility (by His grace).  All for His glory….
Thanks for listening!!