Series: Renewal
I Peter 1:13 AMP
I Peter 1:13-16 MSG
Psalm 103:8-12 AMP
Titus 3:7 ESV
Romans 3:24 ESV
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV
There was a time when I thought I spent a good part of my life waiting for God to open doors.
Looking back I’m not so sure if I was waiting for God or if God was waiting for me.
I Peter 1:13 tells us, “prepare your minds for action, be completely sober [in spirit—steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
Based on Peter’s words while I often thought I was fully prepared for action, I now think I was only fully prepared for what I thought was the right course of action.
Peter also advises us to “be sober” which is not in the sense of consumption of alcohol, and according to the Oxford Dictionary means to be clearheaded, serious, sensible, and solemn.
The amplified defines that as being steadfast and morally alert.
Especially when I was young those would not be qualities I would have used in describing myself. While I was always prepared for action that was in the sense of being prepared to jump into something with both feet.
Even today I’m not sure I would describe myself as being sensible and solemn. It also wouldn’t be easy for me to think of being prepared for action and be sensible at the same time.
Those two things seem to be at opposite ends of the spectrum.
I’ve learned (the hard way) when it seems confusing that means I need to “dig in”. I need to look harder and smarter.
The Koine Greek literally translates prepare for action ‘anazōsamenoi’ as gird up the ‘dianoias’ mind of you ‘hymōn’ by being sober-minded ‘nēphontes’.
The original text give us a continuous flow of thought. The action is not action in the sense of a modern day definition of action. It is action specifically focused on being sober-minded.
The Koine Greek tells us to ‘elpisate’ to set hope on ‘charin’ or grace that has been ‘pheromenēn’ and brought (or given to you) through the ‘apokalypsei’ or revelation of Jesus.
Now we’re getting somewhere.
Stand fast.
Set your hope on grace…the grace that’s totally free and has been given through Jesus who revealed free grace to us from His death on the cross.
I Peter 1:13-16 from the Message we are told, “So roll up your sleeves, get your head in the game, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.”
Bearing that in mind, what God was trying to tell me when I was young is to prepare my heart for the action of the Spirit!
In my younger mind the action I thought about was the work I would do in God’s name. If I was teaching I would teach based on my knowledge of scripture.
In reality, what God wanted was action that was based on being sober-minded or be serious and sensible. In a very real sense that is the adjective that describes the ‘how’..
That begs the question, what are we to be serious and sensible about?
In truth, it’s all about grace.
It’s about what Jesus fought and died for…
It’s what Jesus wanted us to understand.
Grace is an action of the very nature of God. In other words, God is grace.
In Psalm 103:8-12 the Psalmist wrote, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in compassion and lovingkindness. He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins [as we deserve], Nor rewarded us [with punishment] according to our wickedness. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear and worship Him [with awe-filled respect and deepest reverence]. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
In Titus 3:7 Paul wrote, “being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Romans 3:24 tells us that we, “are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 explains, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Grace sets us free by believing in the very nature and character of God. It means when we mess up and we turn to God we are instantly set free from the ‘thing’; the ties that bind us.
According to Paul’s words, our weakness that causes us to turn to Jesus becomes our strength through Jesus.
When we turn and lean in Jesus whispers to us, ‘You are forgiven.’
You ARE forgiven.
YOU are FORGIVEN.
We don’t have to wonder…we CAN be sure.
Spiritual Practice: Turn to God
BE Forgiven. Ask God to open the doors of your mind so you can receive the gift of the Spirit.
In God, Deborah
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