Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.

Do you ever have days when you would like to drop the conjunction "but" right smack in the middle of it to change its course? How about a whole season you might be in that needs a "but" to happen ASAP? I have someone in my life who is in desperate need of a "but" moment right now, and it's a tough place to be. When we're in the middle of a stormy season, it's hard to believe that there will ever be an end, but Paul gave us a great reminder in Titus 3 that even when things are rough, we've already been given the ultimate "but moment from God. 

Verse 3 reminds us how we were before Christ...foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to lusts and pleasures, living in evil, envy, and hate. Then comes the big change with verse 4, "BUT WHEN THE KINDNESS OF GOD APPEARED." That's Jesus. He changed everything for us! He saved us for no other reason than His love. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life and the Holy Spirit. The New American Standard Bible translation says God richly poured out the Holy Spirit on us through Jesus Christ. I love the thought of Him being richly poured out. That creates an image in my mind of something overflowing with no end in sight. 

Not only do we get the gift of the Holy Spirit overflowing in our lives here on earth, but Paul reminds us that if we are saved, we will inherit eternal life. Now, "eternal" is one of those words that is hard for me to wrap my head around. I know the definition, but I struggle to really grasp the "no end, ever" part. There is so much peace and freedom available to us if we can just step back and rest in that. When we can really understand that the time we will spend here on earth is nothing compared to the time we will be with Jesus in eternity.

If you haven't had that "but" moment that Paul is talking about in this passage, my prayer is that you will have it today!

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God’s Word.

• SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today’s passage?
• OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises?
• APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you?
• PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.