Yesterday’s snow storm turned into rain by the time I
reached my destination. Driving through deep puddles rather than deep slush
made me smile at God. He used this near white-out storm to challenge my faith
and courage, then made the challenge almost nothing once I decided to trust
Him.
Today’s reading is also about trusting God. It contains a
phrase that I often pray for others, plus a phrase that offers me another
challenge.
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. (2 Peter 3:18)
Growing in grace is fundamental to being a Christian.
Grace is a blessing from God that is not earned or deserved. It involves seeing
and believing in Jesus, then becoming like Him with increasing understanding of
who He is and what He does. To grow in grace requires some knowledge of God, so
this means grace and knowledge go together.
Grace depends on knowledge and knowledge depends on
grace. They are tied to becoming a Christian in the first place, since both are
important to having eternal life. The Bible says we are “saved by grace” and Jesus
said, “This is eternal life, that they know
you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)
I can learn about God by reading the Bible and in that
learning, I am blessed because of grace. To grow in grace and knowledge involves
reading the Word. However, experiences also teach me about God, otherwise there
would be no reason to go outside my study. I could read all day, but in the
trials of life I experience for myself the faithfulness of God. I also discover
where I need to grow and need to know Him more fully.
The second part of today’s verse says that glory belongs
to God both now and to the day of eternity. I can look forward to forever when God’s
glory will prevail, but what about now? Do I glorify Him as I should each day
of my life and in all the circumstances of life?
Each day is filled with opportunities to glorify God. People
around me create them in their conversations. Can I answer their words with my
heart and words pointed Godward? Situations, like snow becoming rain and grass
becoming green are opportunities to speak of the wonder of God. Can I speak of Him
and glorify Him? Or am I more concerned that I safely get through the storms?
Lord, each day is filled with the wonder of You. Too often
my eyes are on myself and my concerns when I could be thinking and talking
about Your goodness, grace and glory. It is a lie to think that forgetting
myself will decrease my enjoyment of life. Focusing on You and Your glory is a
good thing. You even say that, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is
stayed on you, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3). Besides this promise
from Your Word, even at this moment my experience bears this out, for as I even
think about glorifying You both now and forever, You fill my heart with joy.
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