Ecclesiastes 7
ANGER

“Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.” (Ecclesiastes 7 v 9).

The times we most regret are usually the ones where we have spoken rashly, often in anger, and always without giving the matter due thought. Those times leave us wishing we could take back the hurtful words and actions we have just produced.

There were times when Jesus became angry and acted or spoke because of his anger. But Jesus took time to think about what he was going to do or say before he did it. When he cleansed the temple, he did it in his anger but he also spent the night preparing himself to do it in the right way. (Mark 11 v 11, 15 – 17).

Another time when he was tested by the Jews as to whether he would heal on the Sabbath day, “He looked around at them in anger” but chose to do good and heal the man. (Mark 3 v 5). Notice that Jesus did not act in anger. His time of anger was spent looking around, giving himself time to decide what he should do.

As the wise man said, “Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit.” We need to follow the example of Jesus and take the time that is needed to choose the right course of action or words, so that we will not live to regret them later on. Let’s not be a fool who gives anger a place to live within him, where he nurtures it, keeps it and protects it. Instead, let’s be like Jesus who could be angry and at the same time still choose to do what was right and avoid sin.

May the peace of God dwell in our hearts richly this week

With love in our Lord
Robert

The Story of the Song Of Solomon

We will be starting to read the Song of Solomon soon. Check out The Story of the Song of Solomon, by Robert Prins. In this short booklet, Robert tells the story of the song to give us context to the words of the drama we read in our Bibles. Find out where to get your copy at www.thinkythings.com/purchase/