Jude 1:20-21 NIV
[20] But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in 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.
The words of Jude in the words above are quite instructive for us in this generation. There is a working that is required to maintain the faith that has been handed over to us. I am not sure how and where the message of complacency and compromise became acceptable, but it is not the desire of God that His children take with levity the demands of the faith. It is a faith that cost quite a lot to lay down, as seen in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. God came down in human form, took on our humanity and died in our place, so that by the blood, we could lay hold of all that God intends for us on this journey. God has done His bit, and now He counts on me to also do my own bit, which is to depend on His grace and mercy for growth in my knowledge and experience of Him.
This faith is also referred to as 'holy' because it must look like the One who is its source and inspiration. Its capacity to grow is dependent on my total submission to the One who births and sustains it, and obedience to all His commands. One of such commands is prayer, depending on the Holy Spirit for effective and effectual results, along with other demands of the faith. Prayer is communication with God, where God gives instructions, and I accept directions on how I will align. It means that there would be regular and daily check-in, and constant verification of instructions before I act. I keep the channel of communication open at all times, so that I can hear whenever He wants to say something to me. I also note that to 'build' is not an overnight achievement, but one that would take time, effort and sacrifice. Am I willing to pay the price to build according to God's pattern?
All of these point to an end-goal, which is the eternal salvation of our souls. God will not do all He has done if there were no lasting benefits and blessings to be enjoyed. We were made for eternity, and God has given us all we need for life and Godliness. Even when sin wanted to derail the plan, God made a way for man to be fully restored to Him. He has given us an anchor and safe place in Him, and I must keep myself in that place. Nothing else, no matter how strong or predictable, can keep me. Position, power, possession, privilege and personal principles outside of Him will not work. They are good when they are founded on God alone. I must audit my life's focus on a regular basis, so that I do not ever lose sight of what is eternally relevant. I wait for the mercy of God that will bring me into eternal life. Are you also waiting the right way? God's time of favour is here.
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