Rest assured
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
2 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV)
I was travelling back home by train from a mainline London station on a Saturday night when a group of noisy people got on at the next stop. They settled farther down the long open carriage, but at least two of them were ‘high’ on something and kept up a barrage of language you’d prefer not to hear, disturbing everyone from one end of the carriage to the other. Some of their companions tried to stop them, but that made matters worse. They, and in particular one young man with a very loud voice, kept up the torrent and showed no signs of stopping.
I had to remind myself that God loves this man, and Christ died for him. Is it possible, I thought, that this foul mouthed, self-occupied man could become a son of God? Could he really become my brother in Christ – as I wished something would stop him from regaling the entire carriage with his invective?
Then I considered the power of God to change us. I thought of Mary Magdalene, surely deranged and menacing as she was held in the grip of seven demonic spirits, till Jesus released her, and she was transformed into the worshiping first witness to his resurrection.
Then there was Paul – a malicious, murdering Pharisee, stopped in his tracks and transformed into a dedicated apostle by Christ, bringing the good news of Jesus to the Gentile world and, via his letters, leaving the successive centuries of Christians with a deep understanding of just what the gospel is about.
And the apostle John – Jesus named him and his brother James the sons of thunder. He and his brother wanted to bring fire down from heaven on the inhabitants of a Samaritan village just because they refused to give hospitality to Jesus and his followers (Luke 9:53-55). But John’s gospel and his letters reflect and illustrate the man he became – a man of love. Someone has done the counting for us – the Gospel of John mentions ‘love’ more frequently than the other three Gospels combined. It appears 57 times in his Gospel, and 46 times in his letter, 1 John.
So, a reminder to self: God has the power to change all of us, from whatever background and circumstances we are in, and we can all be partakers of the divine nature, just as Peter said.
Prayer
Our Father, we are at rest, confident of your power to bring all your prodigal sons and daughters back from whatever depths of alienation we have taken ourselves. And we bring you our thanks through the One who saves us, Jesus Christ. Amen.
|
Study by: Hilary Buck About the author: |
 |
Local congregation:
Grace Communion in Lewes
The House of Friendship
208 High Street
Lewes
BN7 2NS
Meeting time:
Sunday 11:00 am
Local congregational contact:
Hilary Buck
Email: lewes@gracecom.church
Like us on www.facebook.com/Grace Communion Lewes
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church