I would love to be brutally honest and say for the longest time I could not read the Bible because it bore me to death. I would retain no information from the verses and all I heard was “thou shall not” and “go ye therefore”. It was just one long book of rules. I had to get to know the author in order to love the story. I have been dwelling specifically on love and joy in the Bible. Collectively they are mentioned 510 times so I would say that means something. The World Race is huge on changing the world, your relationship with Jesus and yourself. I was so set on NOT changing myself because I never wanted to be that stuck up Christian who looked down upon everyone else. Because in reality, myself and all my best friends are the “everyone else”.
It was not until two weeks ago that I had a whole new idea of what it meant for me to change here. God led me to Job 39:13, “the ostriches’ wings flap joyously with the pinion and plumage of love…”. I did a little research and the pinion feathers are what allow the bird to fly. If they were cut off, it would prevent flight so in this case the growing of love. The plumage is all the feathers the bird as grown since birth and kept so in this case all the fruit Jesus has taught me and I have retained rather than mastering it and then not practicing it everyday. I took this verse as with the growing and retaining of love comes pure joy. This love is a love like God’s love which is perfect, overflowing, unconditional, never changing, and a crazy love. The joy is a joy that is so rooted in Jesus that no matter what comes your way your joy is rooted and doesn’t sway. I want to love the “everyone else” like this and carry this joy to “everyone else” and myself included.
I have done some deep prayer on how I grow my plumage feathers and where I need to use my pinion feathers to change who I am. I have been led to the fruits of the spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. God has taught me my plumage feathers are his fruits which I need to use these seven months and after to grow and keep forever. As for my pinion feathers, if I cut off love I can’t fly in my relationship with him or others. The fruits carry over into how someone should love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”. Without the fruits I can’t love like Jesus. I am so excited to grow my plumage feathers and soar with love and joy at home.
ps. Ostriches are my brothers favorite animal which makes it all that more special God is using this verse for me this year. I love you ev!!!!!
