Jude 20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves upon your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
Do you remember the Saturday Night Live skit with Hans & Franz. They were two body builders who wanted to get everyone “pumped up.” They were spoofing Arnold Schwarzenegger the actor and bodybuilder.
What I found funny was their ability to capture the essence of an exercise movement and then make fun of it. “We want to pump (clap) you up (point at audience).” In one sense, they did pump (clap) us up. We laughed and felt a little lighter in mood after watching the skit. But of course, it only lasted a short time.
We all need to be pumped up at times in our lives. Moods can take a downturn. Circumstances can pile up overwhelming our internal resources and our normal coping mechanisms. But just like Hans & Franz, it is going to take more than the resources you have at hand.
The author of our text today recognized the tendency for our courage to leave over time. It can be easy to slowly slide into unbelief. If we are not actively striving toward the goal in our faith, then we are going with the flow, and the flow leads the wrong direction.
Just like Hans & Franz encouraged people to get in shape physically, so Jude wants to help his readers keep themselves in God’s love. They do this, according to Jude, but building each other up in the faith and praying in the Holy Spirit. These are things we do with each other. These are community of faith activities. They are not solitary pursuits.
We must be active in the process of staying in God’s love. Every pressure of the world works against this goal. We can so easily get distracted or discouraged. Have you notice your mood during phases of COVID 19? Have you had moments of ‘down’?
So, I wonder, what are you doing to build yourself up in order to keep yourself in God’s love? Are you in the Scriptures daily with enough of a dosage that the virus of the world is kept at bay? Are you gathering with other believers and sharing the encouragement you are getting from the Scriptures? Are you praying for and with other people? Are you actively sharing your faith?
The Arnold Journey 