Having spent 12 weeks studying together 1 Peter and thinking about our current series, 'Strength for the Storms of Life', and, as I think about the journey we are on together at Valley, I find myself being drawn back to one verse, one phrase, really just one word from 1 Peter 2:23:
Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
The word entrust means 'to give over to', to commit.
What would it be like to surrender / to give myself over / to commit fully to the Father?
As we seek to grow and continue on the path that will allow us to finish strong, to finish well, what would it be like to have a such stranglehold on the core character of God that no matter what life throws at us, we could respond with grace and courage and confidence? What would it be like to reach our final days and be able to testify with the Apostle Paul:
I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. (2 Timothy 1:12)
It has been my experience that we do not just drift into such a commitment; we will not just flip a switch in our final days and find we have a confident faith that will peacefully lead us from this world to the next. Such a commitment is nutured over time. It comes as we see the faithfulness of our God demonstrated over and over again in our lives. It comes as we draw near to Him in His Word and in worship and prayer. It comes as a result of being faithful to Him; faithful to His Church; faithful in service.
I supsect most of you would agree. The bigger question is, are we doing those things that will lead us to this place of confidence and trust? Am I in the Word of God; is it so engrained in my heart and mind that it will be a sure foundation of strength and hope as I approach the finish line? Am I walking with God; am I daily talking to Him, such that when my time comes to to leave this world He can simply say to me, 'we're close to My house, why don't you just come with Me'? Am I committed to worship; to be in His church, to be part of the community of faith? Am I using what He has given me to serve, to bless others.
If we are not doing these things, we cannot expect to have a confident faith, especially when the finish line draws closer. For many of you, this is the season of life when you have the time to give yourselves more fully to the things of God and I want to call you to do just that! Stay faithful! Model for those of us following behind, what it is to be a man / woman of faith and what it means to finish well. Be faithful to His Church and continue to be faithful is serving our God, in doing good, in blessing others so that when the final story of our lives here on earth is written it will be said of me and of you:
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:8)
Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
The word entrust means 'to give over to', to commit.
What would it be like to surrender / to give myself over / to commit fully to the Father?
As we seek to grow and continue on the path that will allow us to finish strong, to finish well, what would it be like to have a such stranglehold on the core character of God that no matter what life throws at us, we could respond with grace and courage and confidence? What would it be like to reach our final days and be able to testify with the Apostle Paul:
I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. (2 Timothy 1:12)
It has been my experience that we do not just drift into such a commitment; we will not just flip a switch in our final days and find we have a confident faith that will peacefully lead us from this world to the next. Such a commitment is nutured over time. It comes as we see the faithfulness of our God demonstrated over and over again in our lives. It comes as we draw near to Him in His Word and in worship and prayer. It comes as a result of being faithful to Him; faithful to His Church; faithful in service.
I supsect most of you would agree. The bigger question is, are we doing those things that will lead us to this place of confidence and trust? Am I in the Word of God; is it so engrained in my heart and mind that it will be a sure foundation of strength and hope as I approach the finish line? Am I walking with God; am I daily talking to Him, such that when my time comes to to leave this world He can simply say to me, 'we're close to My house, why don't you just come with Me'? Am I committed to worship; to be in His church, to be part of the community of faith? Am I using what He has given me to serve, to bless others.
If we are not doing these things, we cannot expect to have a confident faith, especially when the finish line draws closer. For many of you, this is the season of life when you have the time to give yourselves more fully to the things of God and I want to call you to do just that! Stay faithful! Model for those of us following behind, what it is to be a man / woman of faith and what it means to finish well. Be faithful to His Church and continue to be faithful is serving our God, in doing good, in blessing others so that when the final story of our lives here on earth is written it will be said of me and of you:
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:8)
RSS Feed