I just got back from a ten day missions trip to northern Maine with the student ministry of our church.  WHAT A BLESSING!  God does need to take us out of our normal routines to show us his love in ways that our routines distract us from perceiving.  I am so grateful for that time, and the presence of His spirit with us.  More to come on that later!

I was in the word this morning, and was challenged by 1 Peter, and wanted to share it with you.  Last time we talked, we were in Psalm 119, and talking about the joy of obeying the law.  1 Peter walks right in line with that.  In Verse 13-16 we read "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. ¹⁴ As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.¹⁵ But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶ for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”


We are called, and we are called by the one who is holy, the only one who is pure holiness.  He has called us "2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, (it is the spirit of God who works with us daily to shape our lives to be a more perfect reflections of Jesus Christ) for obedience to Jesus Christ...


He called us to holiness, which for us is unattainable apart from salvation from God in Christ Jesus and that daily working out of the Spirit.  It is a process, and this side of heaven we never fully attain it, but display it and experience it in glimpses.  Holiness, in this case seems to reference two aspects.  One, being set apart, and two, being purified.


Why are we set apart? We are set apart for many reasons, but this passage seems to point out that our faith lived out in the world "7b may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed".  Christians are constantly under observation.  Our faith is judged by what we say and how we act.  Can our actions as a set apart people result in praise and glory, now, AND when Jesus Christ is revealed?  Will people remember us, our actions, and equate our way of life to Jesus Christ, and give God the glory for that?

Why are we purified?  This is the part that resonated with me, coming form Psalm 119, and the desire to obey and cherish the precepts, the commands, the truths of God.  v 22 gives us the result of our obedience.  "Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.


Obedience results in purification.  The outcome of that purification is NOT a pat on the back for doing good, or a place of stature in the community as a "Holy One", a leader, a deacon, an elder.  It's result is LOVE, and love pointed outward, towards our brothers.  This love is deep and sincere, because it doesn't come from anything selfish, but a selfless obedience to God.  This deep love wouldn't be a choice, it would be the byproduct of a purified life.  I won't be chosing to love people because I want to be obedient to God, it will just happen as a result of the purified life, and all glory will be given to God for it.


I see this reality working itself out in the seasons of my life.  When I am close to God, living in obedience to Him, love is more often my response to whatever life throws at me.  And it doesn't seem to be a choice, it just happens.  When I stray, and get to focused on the end of my nose, love at best is a choice, and at worst absent.  There are many time when the choice to love must be made, especially when our feelings are pulling us in a different direction.  But as we become more purified, more obedient to God, love becomes less a choice, and more the reality of our existence.  That is what I want to strive for!


Just my two cents for the day.   I welcome your thoughts on this, as we sharpen each other as we ponder the things of God.   In the words of 1 Peter, "Grace and peace be yours in abundance!"