The End!

The End!

But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Jude 1:20‭-‬21 KJV

The start of all things God does is faith, and the end is eternal life. There are so many other things in between but these two are so fundamental to the Christian experience God wants us to have. No matter the distractions going on around me, the charge to me is this: I have a responsibility to build myself up in the faith that led me to Christ. Faith in God's ability to save me is the reason why I walk where I am now, and it is the same faith that will sustain me in this walk.

Did you see that the faith here is described as 'holy'? Let no man deceive himself into thinking that you can get by with anything less than God's standard of holiness. It is His nature; his command and His expectations for his children. We cannot do anything less and expect the same results from God.

'Building up' gives a picture of work, effort and labour. Nowhere does God say I can fold my arms and expect things to just sort themselves out; I have a part to play in all of these things and it involves spiritual exercises: praying, studying the Word, keeping myself in God's love by knowing what it entails and demands, and seeking to be both a receptacle and an outflow of mercy to other people.

'Keep yourself in God's love' demands that no matter the pressure, love, by God's standards, has to be the response. If the right foundation has been laid, the right kind of love will flow out from me. I have the duty to ensure that I am rightly located: in God. The world will hold out other viable options; but if it is not God's way, there is no guarantee that it will end well.

And while I live down here, I keep an eye on the end of all things. While I seek to make impact down here, I must keep as my focus my eternal destination. Of what use is my life if I deny myself worldly pleasures and yet do not get the reward for righteous living? Mercy is available, full and free for all men, but walking in it is first my choice. God has done His bit; made adequate provision for my walk of faith. I have to respond; all of life waits for my decision, because only those who have encountered God can affect the world for God. Where do you stand? His time of favour is here.