Monthly Devotion - February 2021
STAYING IN OUR CALLING & CHOICES
"Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble” (2 Peter 1:10, NIV)
Our guide verse for this month is as written above, “Therefore,
my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and
election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble." To
be more steadfast in our calling and choice, it requires earnest effort
from each of us who are waiting for the Lord's day to come, which is the
day of the second coming of the Lord Jesus. His words in 2 Peter 3: 9-13
say, “God does not fail to keep His promises, even though some people
think they are negligent, but He is patient with you, because He wants
no one to perish, but that everyone may turn back. and repent. 10 But
the Lord's day will come like a thief. On that day the heavens will disappear
with a great roar, and the elements of the world will be scorched in flames,
and the earth and everything on it will be gone. 11 So, if all these things
are to be destroyed in this way, how holy and pious are you to live. 12
that is, you who are waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of
God. On that day the heavens will perish in fire and the elements of the
world will be destroyed by their flames. But according to His promise,
we look forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where there is truth.
"Christians who are holy and devout and willing to strive earnestly
will long for the coming of the Lord and can even hasten His second coming.
times (verse 12; Matt. 24:22).
Many Christians still doubt the salvation they have received from God.
A Christian who is striving is someone who after receiving the gift of
forgiveness from God for the forgiveness of his sins will continue to
grow in a better knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 1: 3-8). God's part for
our lives is to give us everything that is useful for living a godly life
and to give promises that are very precious and very great (verse 3),
but our part is to really try (pay attention to the words „really
strive "in 2 Peter 1: 5 &" be diligent "in verse 10).
This means that there is good cooperation between God as the source of
grace (John 1: 16-18) and us who receive His grace. By His grace we can
strive earnestly to move forward in faith because we want to abide in
God and His Word also abides in us. And the progress of our growing faith
as His disciples, will bear many fruits that glorify the Father in all
aspects of our lives.
Our earnestness will make us more determined in our calling and choices. As people who have been freed from sin, we are actually people who have been called and chosen by God (John 15:16). And if we love God and are called according to His plan, then everything will bring goodness (Romans 8:28). For that we must keep trying earnestly to live in His grace and even we must continue to walk boldly to approach the throne of God's grace, so that we receive grace and find grace to get our help in due time (Hebrews 4:16). But if we get off the path of His grace, then we can fail to receive the gift of eternal life. In the case, eternal life is a gift from God for everyone who lives in faith and is faithful in obeying His Word. Therefore, let us be steadfast in our calling and choices. It is our responsibility to try really hard. And if we will really try to do it, then His Word says that we will never stumble (2 Pet. 1:10), Amen
By Pastor Silwanus Obadja M.Th.
...Monthly
Devotion - January 2021