October 24
________________________________________
BITTER ROOTS
A poem by ILMA
Do your best to pursue a peaceful and pure life
Look after one another so you’ll receive God’s grace
Watch out for bitter roots that are poisonous
They corrupt many and they destroy relationships.
Remember how Esau traded his birthright for a single meal?
Make sure you don’t follow his immoral and godless ways
Afterward, when he wanted his blessings, he was rejected
It was too late for repentance though he begged with bitter tears.
When bitterness dwells in your heart, it can create havoc
Make your heart right by confessing and repenting and staying pure
Grant forgiveness to others as God has forgiven each of your sins
Let the Holy Spirit show you the roots of bitterness in your hearts.
________________________________________
MEMORY VERSE
Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.
– Hebrews 12:15
Read: Hebrews 12:14-20; Ruth 1:1-21
One story in the bible that gives us a picture of bitterness is in the book of Ruth. Naomi who was married to Elimelech was moved from Bethlehem to Moab, a pagan country. Her husband died and after ten years, she lost both her two sons who had Moabite women for their wives. When she decided to go back to Bethlehem, she found out that she was bitter and blaming God for all the tragedy she experienced. It made her discouraged and see God responsible for all the losses in her life.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• How can we easily be tricked by bitterness?
• What are the symptoms of a bitter heart?
• Why do we need to ask the Holy Spirit to bring us to the root of bitterness?