accept

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. (Romans 15:7)

when a thing has been very good, the thing that comes after it may seem to lack in comparison.

when you have loved people very much, the next people God gives you to love may seem hard to open your heart to.

if i am very honest, this has how it has felt for me here in madison. i have been holding the stockbridge boiler room and my family there so tightly in my heart because it has been so good and i have loved so much... and that has translated into resistance, judgment, criticism, a holding at arm's length.

this morning, the Spirit comes and says, "you have not accepted them. it is time to decide to accept them."

in fleshing out the idea of TO ACCEPT, the new king james and american standard versions use the phrase, "receive one another." dictionary.com says:

1.	to take or receive (something offered); receive with approval or favor: to accept a present; to accept a proposal.

2.	to agree or consent to; accede to: to accept a treaty; to accept an apology.

3.	to respond or answer affirmatively to: to accept an invitation

12.	to receive or contain (something attached, inserted, etc.)

13.	to receive (a transplanted organ or tissue) without adverse reaction.

i want to walk out repentance here. and He'll receive praise in that.