Being Present Daily

I’ve reviewed old documents and translations from centuries past, and I’ve decided that there’s nothing as old as the Bible, with as many lessons teaching us how to live daily. Even these thousands of years later. Yes, many examples don’t make sense because we don’t live exactly as they did when life experienced was different than ours. But the lessons behind? They make sense even today.

To pick up keywords and track them through the pages is so easy with compilation study books, or Bible software. Try it sometime.

Of course, different translations will convert original text into different words depending on when those who did the original work lived. KJV – King James Version is a little over 400 years old. Now, think about their words in merry ol’ England. That’s the same time that William Shakespeare lived and produced is voluminous works.

Since I grew up with KJV, you would think I’d enjoy Shakespeare. Not True.

The Bible is about God and salvation, so you learn how to live as the language teaches us. This must be how God communicated. Read Shakespeare and any teacher will spend hours trying to get your brain to think like it’s 400 years old! Now, read the KJV and realize that there’s more to the Bible. It truly takes a study into the original languages. But even then, that’s still a modern view of Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic that is not even spoken the same way today.

Can every translation be correct? Probably not. Even now, I will read other translations, but I compare everything to the KJV. So, I can take what was given to me to learn about God and base my world on the Letter of His Law via the language I speak and understand.

This morning, I used the word I woke up with: Gracious. Why? I’ve prayed and asked God for a new thought everyday and this is today’s. From Gracious, we find the root of Grace.

Grace, as defined by popular language, is the “unmerited favor of God.” You don’t know why, and you probably did nothing to earn it, but God has a way of treating us with favor. And we don’t know why!

How did Kris Kristofferson write it?

Why me, Lord… What have I ever done?
To deserve even one of the pleasures I’ve known.
Tell me, Lord. What did I ever do
that was worth loving you
for the kindness you’ve shown?

Yes. I wrote without looking it up. There may be a few words missing, but ask me to sing it and I’ll probably get every word right!

What is he writing about? Grace. Many translations will swap “grace” for “gracious.” In Greek, they have the same root word. “Charis” is how we would say it. In today’s modern language, we expand it into “Charismatic” and “Charisma.”

I could research this thought for hours, but if God is gracious to us, how much more should we be gracious to others? Extend unmerited favor. Why? Why not! It doesn’t cost you anything. Trust me. You will be better by being gracious!

The apostle Paul, who was not a gracious man to the burgeoning Christian movement, later wrote it like this:

“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
Withal praying also for us,
that God would open unto us a door of utterance,
to speak the mystery of Christ,
for which I am also in bonds:
That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without,
redeeming the time.
Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt,
that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
(Colossians 4:2-6, KJV)

Grace. Graciousness. Themes throughout God’s Word. We’re in a season where Graciousness is being touted and shown. Learn from it, so that you can be graceful the remainder of the year and start the new year prepared to be a gracious person. Keep it up! Let your graciousness be something that others will note.

Act better because you have a God who is gracious to you.

(Psalms 103:1-22, KJV)

“A Psalm of David.
Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;
who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;
so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment
for all that are oppressed.
He made known his ways unto Moses,
his acts unto the children of Israel.
The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
He will not always chide:
neither will he keep his anger for ever.
He hath not dealt with us after our sins;
nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as the heaven is high above the earth,
so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Like as a father pitieth his children,
so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
For he knoweth our frame;
he remembereth that we are dust.
As for man, his days are as grass:
as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone;
and the place thereof shall know it no more.
But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting
upon them that fear him,
and his righteousness unto children’s children;
To such as keep his covenant,
and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens;
and his kingdom ruleth over all.
Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts;
ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion:
bless the LORD, O my soul.”