November 20

“We are made for union with [God], and the only pathway to this must, of course, be a perfect harmony between our will and his.  For ‘how can two walk together except they be agreed?’  Therefore God’s commands to us to be holy are all based upon the fact that he to whom we belong is holy.”  Hannah Whitall Smith, Daily Secrets, 10/27

People complain that God takes all the fun out of life with all His “dos” and “don’ts”.  I don’t understand this attitude. What they really are saying is they want to satisfy their carnal urges.  Telling themselves “no” is the ultimate insult.  What they don’t understand is God gives our regenerated selves the desires of our hearts.  In Christ my union with God is complete, but if I continue to resist the new life in me, I’m going to feel deprived.  It’s this walking in two worlds that defeats the Christian life.  It’s what divides churches, splits families, and destroys our witness to the lost world.  The only times we struggle are the times we are straddling this fence.  This is why non-Christians often seem happier.  They’re on their side of the fence--often succeeding in making a pretty good-looking life.  However, the fact is one day they will come to the end of their lives and have nothing that will carry over into the next life.  Christians who straddle the fence will be called to give an accounting for their lack of obedience.  Those who let Christ lift them up and over that fence will be rewarded not only in the rest they find here on earth, but in the kingdom yet to come.

“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”  1 Peter 1:14-16