Be Ready. Be Holy.
2010-03-27

Father, it's the end of what turned out to be a pretty good week, although I know it was very stressful for Christi at work. Stephanie had a wonderful week. So today, we rest and try to get ready for group worship tomorrow. I'm also planning to program a new song for worship tomorrow. Show me what songs you want your church to sing.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily, I'm constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness like a fetter
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone wander - Lord, I feel it -
Prone to leave the God I love.
Here's my heart - O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

(From "Come Thou Fount" by Robert Robinson)

1 Peter 1:13-16; 1 Peter 2:9

1:13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,
15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16 since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."

2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

That is what we do when we gather every Sunday morning (or whenever you happen to gather to worship); we proclaim his excellencies!

According to Matthew Henry, Christians should be just as diligently prepared as runners in a race, warriors in a battle, or any kind of laborer who is prepared to do his job. We should be "watchful against all spiritual dangers and enemies, and be temperate in all behavior." We should also be "sober-minded in opinion, as well as in practice, and humble in your judgment of yourselves." Ouch. My toes! And here is a mistake that is often made. "A Christian's work is not over as soon as he has got into a stae of grace; he must still hope and strive for more grace. When he has entered the strait gate, he must still walk in the narrow way, and gird up the loins of his mind for that purpose. A strong and perfect trust in the grace of God is agreeable with best endeavors in our duty. Holiness is the desire and duty of every Christian. It must be in all affairs, in every condition, and towards all people. We must especially watch and pray against the sins to which we are inclined. The written word of God is the surest rule of a Christian's life, and by this rule we are commanded to be holy every way. God makes those holy whom he saves." (Quotes from Matthew Henry Daily Readings)

Sometimes we foolishly think that, once we enter into that "strait gate," that the way beyond widens out a bit. But it doesn't really, does it? It stays narrow. And from my experience, as long as I stay on that path, it's smooth and the going is easy. As soon as I stray off, it's like walking through a tar pit. It grabs at me and keeps me from moving forward. It encourages me to stay mired down in the muck. In fact, the only way for me to get back on the path is to cry out to God for help. Then he picks me up, cleans off my dirty feet, and puts me back on the road. Every time.


Father, I am very thankful that you do that. You could leave me in the muck. And you would be justified in doing so. But you are faithful to your promises, even whe we are not faithful to you. Bless your holy name! Keep me moving forward, Father. Sometimes I feel like I'm still very close to the place where I entered this journey. I know that I have progressed, but, due to my own selfishness and, well, stupidity (can't think of a better way to say it), I'm not as far as I should have been. Nevertheless, I will keep plugging forward, by your grace. And you will continue to rescue me when I foolishly fall off the path. No, it's more like jumping, isn't it? "Falling" makes it seem like an accident. Whenever I leave the path, it's willingly.

Lord, help me be prepared for my task in life. I pray that, whatever the future holds, that I will be ready for it. And I think "the future" may be coming sooner than I expected.

I pray blessings to all my friends and family, and to all who might stumble across this meandering journal and read it.

I pray that Rachel's birthday Monday will be fantastic and safe. Thank you for bringing her into our family 21 years ago!! She has been such a tremendous blessing.


Let us all endeavor to be prepared for whatever tasks await us. As children of our Father, let us be ready, and let us be striving for holiness in every part of our lives.

Grace and peace, friends.



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