Day 217

Attitudes pleasing to God 

Key Verses: 1, 4, 8, 11, 17,

There is something about physical suffering that binds people together. The military uses shared physical stresses to build unit cohesion and esprit de corps. When we train together in difficult conditions we join together in different ways than if we trained without the difficult conditions. Basic training is just such an experience. We enter as individual without a common identity and leave unified in purpose. At least that is what the advertising says!

When Jesus-followers suffer for doing what is right we join with Jesus in His suffering. We draw close to Him in new ways and our identity gets sealed with His. These early believers demonstrated their trust in Him when physical retribution was handed out. Millions of Jesus-followers face the same threats today. And for many the threats get acted upon by those who opposed Jesus. A good resource to learn more about this kind of modern day persecution is www.persecution.org.

When we care enough about each other, the love we demonstrate smoothes over those small things that really don’t matter. Another way to say this would be that persecution resets our priorities. We learn what is really important, and the other things just get dropped. Christ’s love covered our sins, so His love flowing through us should do likewise toward others.

I sometimes have to pause and reflect when I hear statements from believers about God’s judgment connected to natural disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes or tornadoes. I don’t know whether God is judging in these moments, but I have grave doubts it is true. If God is going to begin judging, He will begin with His own family. There is enough cleaning up within the Body to keep Him busy for years.

The Day of Judgment is coming, but we are living in a time of extended grace. He wants people to repent. He is delaying judgment to give them that opportunity. His scrutiny begins with us, His household. We need to be living lives pleasing to Him. We need to be clean in order for His hope to be seen in us. If we are all messed up, what non-believer in their right mind will come to ask us to show them the way in life. If we can’t walk straight, how will we lead the way so that people will follow.