by Cathe Laurie
Just a short time ago I was taking the morning to be still, taking a break from the normal routines. I’d like to say it was because I am so sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Well, sometimes the Holy Spirit has means we are unaware of. I was resting that day because it was a restless night.
So on that morning, I sat listening because I had an annoying painful injury; this time it was my right knee. It happened, ironically, because I was trying to stay in shape. I know, I know, I should do these things with more caution at my age.
You may have heard the old joke: you know you are old when everything hurts, and what doesn’t hurt doesn’t work! I will admit I am falling apart. It is funny how we rage against the inevitable reality of getting old today.
I have a friend who would often say, “I know I am going down, but I’m not going down without a fight.” We’d laughed because . . . because we were young and thought, “We will be different; we’ll beat the odds. We will be like Louis Zamperini skateboarding at 90.” Today, we might not laugh as hard. Fighting or not, we are going to fall apart.
I have another (wiser) friend who, when dealing with the many “issues” her body has presented recently, simply admits, “The rubber bands (tendons, ligaments, and stuff that sprains so easily) are wearing out.” Amen, sister.
Thankfully, my body isn’t all that I am! I have a soul that lives in this tent that has seen better days. I have often heard that “a Bible that is falling apart often belongs to a life that isn’t.” So while the old rubber bands are indeed wearing out, and the ice bag on my knee needs changing, I can rejoice that the most important things in my life will only get stronger and more beautiful in time.
Unfortunately, the means of becoming someone beautiful in God’s eyes can be painful—so painful we may be tempted to throw in the towel. But God’s plan to make us into the image of His own dear Son is relentless. He will chase us down and insist we stay with His program. We know He loves us, even when we don’t feel it.
There’s a very high, holy word we use to describe the process of becoming beautiful in His eyes. It is called sanctification. God intends to make us like Himself because He knows it is the only way we will be truly holy, and truly happy.
But don’t let this big theological word fly over your heads. It is intensely practical. Ask your family and close friends, and you will know exactly the state of your sanctification.
Perhaps you think to be sanctified (i.e., holy) means spending hours on our knees or poring over ancient Greek and Hebrew commentaries. Maybe. We certainly all could afford to spend more time praying and studying. And this may indeed be a means God will use to sanctify us. But not necessarily. In 1 Thessalonians 4:1–12, Paul tells us how he expected sanctification would look to a watching world:
True believers will make a clean break with immorality (verse 3). Isn’t it interesting that it begins in such tangible, traceable ways as this?
They won’t take advantage of a brother or sister (verse 6).
They will be receptive to instruction and correction from others and God’s Word (verse 😎.
They will love and care for one another (verse 9).
They will make it an ambition to lead a quiet life (verse 11). Now that is a novel thought. Often we get addicted to living for the next thrill, the next excitement . . . The energy-water sold to us is called Monster, Red Bull, Venom—everything is bigger, faster.
Believers should work hard and be busy minding their own business. If we do these things we will win the respect of others! (verse 12).
We can be confident we have a Savior who has prayed and still prays, for our sanctification (read John 17). Here is a just snippet of that prayer Jesus prayed:
My prayer is not that you take them (insert your name) out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them, I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
So today, in one sense, some things are falling apart. But today, as I meditate over the wonder and means of my sanctification, things should be pulling together beautifully.
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