OUR HOLY PURSUIT
Richard Harris
Today’s Scripture: “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’” 1 Peter 1:14-16, ESV
Theme: Like Jesus, we too submit to the Father God, declaring: “Behold I have come to do Your will.” (Hebrews 10:7,9)
THIS SINGLE-MINDED FOCUS
Today’s verse encourages us to grow. This growth helps us understand the purpose that God has towards our Christian spiritual maturity. Think and reflect on your life choices. Have they produced a holy life? God won’t make those choices for us. That is on us. He will, however, provide the strength for us to carry out our choices. He gives us strength in our attitudes and behaviors that allows us to be obedient as His redeemed children. In Colossians 1:29, Paul explained his choice as he struggled to move forward, “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”
In the verse preceding today’s Scripture (1 Peter 1:13), Peter is telling us to prepare for action, roll up our sleeves, and set our hope fully on the grace that will be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ. We must reject the evil desires that drove our actions before we knew better. Our Christian journey has given us this single-minded focus.
This Christian journey is a journey of spiritual growth. When tested in faith, we rejoice in Christ. This testing develops perseverance, which leads to holiness. The same God who tests us helps us to become stronger, developing patterns of more holy conduct. We should be holy, because God is holy. Like Father, like son/daughter. Don’t children try to emulate their parents? We are God’s adopted children. Shouldn’t that be enough of a reason to pattern our lifestyle after Him?
YOU KNOW THE REAL YOU
As a child, didn’t you emulate the actions of certain adults? Were your dreams and aspirations fed and encouraged, or did you meet resistance at every turn? As an adult, did you come across opportunities to change a career, re-evaluate your values, convert to a higher calling, overcome addictions, abandon old habits? If the answer is no, it is never too late. “Be Holy as I am Holy” He tells us. There is no prescription on how we should live, other than to walk in holiness.
Make it Personal: In my seventy-eight-year journey, I have shifted, developed, overcome, re-evaluated, changed and advanced many times. Some were not cognitively driven by godly motives. It was about money, family security, pleasure, job advancement, prestige… but, do you know what? In hindsight, they were all guided by the hand of righteousness. I can see that now. All those life decisions have placed me on the well-lit paths of truth and spiritual growth. Jesus, “The Light of the World”, has been there this whole journey. I am wholly holy through the blood of Jesus and His loving guidance. I have grown, in Christian maturity, and I continue to grow. I am here to do His will. How can we become different, in the name of Jesus? How does this contrast with our old ways? No excuses.
Pray: Lord Father, thank You for purifying and refining our faith through Your testing words. We desire to be holy as You are holy so that the world will desire what we have found through You. Let us not be drawn to those things you disdain. Help us look at our own lives and see how we are glorifying You. Help us walk in holiness together, living as a godly influence above the old ways of this world. Being considerate of others, please help us set the good examples this world desperately needs. All this, we ask, thank, pray and praise in the name of Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Read: Hebrews 10
Weekly Memory Verse: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23 (ESV)