Reverence and Awe

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Wholly separate or set apart... that is what we are as sons and daughters of the King. What a great encouragement this morning to stop and ponder the realities of this. To live set apart here on earth though we know we are citizens of heaven and long to be there.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you (1 Peter 1:3-4)

Therefore, keep thyself unspotted from the world. Soil not the fingers which are soon to sweep celestial strings; let not these eyes become the windows of lust which are soon to see the King in His beauty—let not those feet be defiled in miry places, which are soon to walk the golden streets—let not those hearts be filled with pride and bitterness which are ere long to be filled with heaven, and to overflow with ecstatic joy.

May we trust Christ today to accomplish this in our life today. May we rely on Him to give us the strength, wisdom and grace to live wholly unto Him and before His face!

How true and relative are Spurgeon's words this evening?! Some things don't change. We still live in a world that is looking for reasons why our God is not who we say He is. There were a couple of sentences that stood out to me in this evening's devotion.

The cross of Christ is in itself an offence to the world; let us take heed that we add no offence of our own. It is "to the Jews a stumblingblock": let us mind that we put no stumblingblocks where there are enough already. "To the Greeks it is foolishness": let us not add our folly to give point to the scorn with which the worldly-wise deride the gospel.

It saddens me to see so much of the church, in an effort to draw the world in, actually try to take the "offense" of the cross away. By trying to "modernize" the Gospel... we have, in essence, added our own stumbling block. I'm encouraged freshly, this evening, to proclaim the truth of the gospel without apologies. May we look unto our savior Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, to lead us in righteousness for His name's sake and for His glory alone!