LENTEN MEDITATION 25 ~ ~ ~ A Worthy Walk

For the Year of Our LORD, 3.1.2008

Let us learn,

strive,

endeavor,

make the effort,

set the priority,

run as though to win the prize

~ ~ ~ to reach the mark of the HIGH CALLING OF GOD

IN CHRIST JESUS, our LIFE.

This is not an option; it is our love's work... our bounden duty... a duty borne out of a heart of love for our LORD and Precious Savior JESUS CHRIST.


It is not works for Salvation; it is works AFTER Salvation, that we might be known as children of GOD. These works should be the fruit of our union with CHRIST JESUS, not only our determination. The LORD'S Grace is sufficient to supply our every need. Indeed, His+ strength is made perfect in weakness. None of us are lacking in weakness ! Thus, if yielded unto HIM+, none of us should be lacking in perfect strength, right?

Let us be mindful of the Apostle's words:

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord

unto all pleasing,

being fruitful in every good work,

and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power,

unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.

Colossians 1:10,11


Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and
unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every
one of you, as a father doth his children,
That ye would walk worthy of God,

who hath called you unto his
kingdom and glory.

I THESSALONIANS 2:10-12

O LORD JESUS CHRIST: Help me to walk worthy of You, unto all pleasing, that my basket of offering may be full and without blemish when I stand before the Great Judgment Seat of CHRIST. Help me not to take advantage of Your kindness and long-suffering. Help me to grow up, in THEE+, and become a mature, responsible Christ-bearer, before GOD and man. Help me to become a workman unashamed, both rightly dividing the Word of Truth and rightly applying it to my life. I praise THEE and worship THEE, O HOLY FATHER, with all that is within my little heart. Grant Your strength to be made perfect in my weakness... through Your Beloved and Obedient SON JESUS CHRIST... in the power of Thy Blessed HOLY SPIRIT. Amen.

LENTEN MEDITATION 4

Taking Advantage of GOD

This morning I awoke and was dull of spirit. I wasn't sleepy but simply dull. When I started my morning Psalms, it was totally from a sense of duty; all zest had gone from my early morning devotions.

What was wrong?

After we did morning prayer, our dear and precious LORD, gracious and long-suffering as HE+ is, showed me my sin: I had taken advantage of HIS+ mercy ... so that I could do what I wanted.

What I had done --- willfully done --- last night, Friday evening, was read a children's story book (grade 4 !) of short stories, put out by a Christian publishing house. The situation would likely be innocuous for most people. But for me.... my scheming heart and whiney Self... made this into sin.

Earlier, I had given over to The LORD my reading of Christian novels for Lent. This was important because I LOVE TO READ and I relax down at the end of the work week with a "good book." So... I convinced myself that reading a home-schooling curriculum book of children's short stories (from a Christian publishing house, no less) would not be the same thing as my reading of a Christian novel, right?

NO, WRONG.

The hermitage had an element of un-peacefulness this morning. It was only after our combined morning prayer that peace returned to my husband and me... after I came under conviction that I had taken advantage of the Grace of GOD with my guile... in order to indeed read my book.

Guile, you may recall, is ARTFUL DECEPTION.

Thank you, LORD, that you are not able to be tricked and will not ever bless even the slightest bit of artful deception in me. Thank you for your true mercy of conviction of sin... without which I would be lost. Help me to live honestly and uprightly before you all the days of my life.

It brings to mind the old prayer out of the 1945 Book of Common Prayer.

But, O GOD,Who+ knowest the weakness and corrruption of our nature, and the manifold temptations which we daily meet with;

We humbly beseech THEE to have compassion on our infirmities, and to give us the constant assistance of Thy HOLY SPIRIT; that we may be effectually restrained from sin, and incited to obedience.

Imprint upon our hearts such a dread of Thy judgments, and such a grateful sense of Thy goodness to us , as may make us both afraid and ashamed to offend THEE.

And , above all, keep in our minds a lively remembrance of THAT GREAT DAY, in which we must give a strict account of our thoughts, words, and actions to HIM+ Whom+ THOU hast appointed the JUDGE of the living and the dead, Thy Son, JESUS CHRIST our LORD.

Amen.