Today’s devotional likens the promises of God to nests
that are hidden in the Bible like nests in the forest are hidden from danger. When
a Christian is threatened or alarmed, we can hide in these promises until the
storm has whirled past. The author says there are no castles in this world as impregnable
as the promises of God. He uses this verse…
Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. (2 Corinthians 7:1)
While I agree with the nest analogy, another idea
comes to mind. The reason that I should live a pure and godly life is not to
earn favor with God but because He has already unconditionally promised favor
to me. That is, goodness of God leads me to repentance and change. Because of
what He has done, I am able to fly to Him and to safety. This, and any other
godly action on my part is initiated in response to what He has done.
I’m reading a couple of New Testament theology books
in preparation to finish a Masters degree that I had to abandon years ago
(taking care of my parents). These books are heavily loaded with theories past
and present about the meaning of Scripture. Out of all of them, most are based
on the idea that God gives rules and we are supposed to obey them. For those
who don’t like that idea, the rules are bent, or the giving of them is twisted.
This menagerie of beliefs and ideas could be confusing
without knowing the simplicity of the gospel message. God loves us. We are
sinners. He sent Christ to save us from our sin. Those who believe in Jesus are
granted new life and changed hearts. Believers then can turn from sin to follow
Him.
Anything else becomes a complicated system of what a
person must do to please God. These confused theologians may have understood the
first thing, that God loves us, but have not grasped the second; we are
sinners. We cannot please God. There is nothing in us that merits anything from
Him. Salvation is a gift given because of His mercy and grace, not because of
anything we do.
The best I can do toward holiness is respond to what God
has done for me. In the first place, this meant receiving the gift of eternal
life through faith in Christ. When that happened, Jesus moved in to live in my heart.
This was God’s doing. I am still amazed that He saved me.
Now am able to cooperate with Him in a lifelong cleansing
process. This is about obedience, saying no to sin and yes to Him. It is about
being in awe of God and letting that awe shape my life. Most of the time, my
responses to Him are not passive. Sometimes I must put on spiritual armor and
fight sin and evil with vigorous action. However, there are situations where
all I can do is fly to Him and hide in Him like a bird to its nest, and stay
there until all threats are past.
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