(July 08, 2024) Norman and Margaret Moss share another precious meditation…

I (Norman) was suddenly taken by surprise at church on Sunday when a couple of young men trained a movie camera on me and asked, ‘What one word would you use to describe your father?’

‘Reliability’ I found myself answering.

Now I would have liked to have had more opportunity to say other things as well.  After all, how can you describe a beloved Dad in one word? My father had many other qualities for which I honour him.

However it was a good answer in that it also describes our Father in heaven.

A beloved mentor once said to me ‘We shall spend eternity enjoying the kindness of God, and being kind to one another.’

The Lord’s Unfailing Kindness
Later Margaret and I were meditating on 1Samuel 20:14, ‘But show me unfailing kindness like the Lord’s kindness as long as I live.’

We felt the Lord was saying—

‘My kindness never fails. I stand ready to forgive all who would come to me no matter what they have done. My love goes on and on.

‘As you steady yourselves in me so I would cause you also to forgive like I do, and so you will be able in your turn to show unfailing kindness to others. From the very cross I forgave those who crucified me for they did not know what they were doing.

‘Look on my world through eyes of kindness and love. Oh that the world might taste and see the wonders of my love. All day long I hold out my arms to them that they might come to me. Let your words about others be kind. Above all let your deeds be kind, not only to those you know and love, but lift up your eyes to the wide fields where people groan for lack of kindly provision, or indeed any kind of love or sympathy. Be kind to your neighbours, and to those who count you as their friends, be kind to strangers.

‘In all this follow my example and heed the promptings of my Spirit within you. For the world is in great need of kindness!’

God’s Holy Spirit can help here…
Our heavenly Father — God — is so reliable in respect of showing His kindness to us. And we must pass it on however and whenever we can.

Paul lists kindness as the fifth fruit of the Holy Spirit… after forbearance (Galatians 5:22). And encourages us to ‘keep in step with the Spirit’(v25).

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Norman and Margaret Moss – Link: charlesnmoss@gmail.com – pastored Queen’s Road Baptist Church, Wimbledon for over 30 years, experiencing charismatic renewal since the 1960s. Although ‘retired’ they still desire to encourage ministers, churches and groups hungry for more of the Holy Spirit, preaching and teaching by Zoom, and contribute to Dr Ayodele Afuye’s Vessels of Virtues Fire Ministries. They recommend Vessels of Virtues’ YouTube weekly presentations.
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