07.26.14
1 Peter 5.12 12
With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to
you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God.
Stand fast in it.
A friend of mine, Gerry, is one of the most exuberant
people I know. Whenever we cross paths he always has a firm (near
bone-crushing) handshake, a winner’s smile, an encouraging word, and, wait for
it, always a slug on the arm or a rough smack on the back. Gerry, for the most
part (that I’ve ever seen) loves God, His people and life in general. To call
him exuberant may be an understatement.
What impresses me with Gerry, other than I know he’d jump
in front of a bullet for me, is that whenever we part company, the last thing
he always says is: Stand firm! I like
that, stand firm! Gerry ain’t no dummy – he’s well aware of the world, the
flesh, and the devil. He’s been around and knows all of us are susceptible to
the ways of the world, the weakness of our flesh, and the deceit of our great
and sneaky enemy. He always says: Stand
firm!
St. Peter said, Stand firm. In the NIV, he said, Stand fast in it. In what Pete; stand
fast in what? In God’s grace, that’s what. Peter wrote what we call his First Epistle
and ended it with these words: “…I have written to you briefly, encouraging you
and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.”
St. Peter and St. Gerry are two peas in a pod – stand fast,
stand firm.
Why do we read our Bibles? Why do we go to church? Why do
we go to men’s group? We are challenged every moment we do those things to
remember why, and stand fast. Why do we work and live in a community? Why do we
shop in particular stores and buy gas at particular gas stations? Why do we
lean over the fence, or shout good words across the street to our neighbors?
Why do we give the other guy the parking space first? Why do we do what we do?
This is the true
grace of God – stand fast in it! Really Paul, God’s grace is about a
parking space? Really!? Well, yes, I suppose it is if I approach the parking
space in the right frame of mind. It’s all
about God’s grace and especially when no one seems to be looking or no one seems
to care. That is, of course, except God. And He invites you and me to stand
fast in His grace which permeates every
part of our lives.
Why do we monitor what we watch on TV? Why do we avoid
certain sites on the internet? Why do we avoid drooling over the beauty of
another? Why do we use self-control, respect, and courtesy? Those things help
remind of us this true grace (and friends, it is true!) and why it is that we
stand so firm in it. The other choice I guess is to ignore it and miss out on
its majesty. I don’t want to do that? Do you?
Father God, thank You for Your true grace. Thank You for
Your matchless love and for Your unmovable and unchanging friendship with me,
and with we, who don’t deserve it. Help me, help us, as Kingdom kids, to walk
in it and stand firm in it being constantly reminded of why we do what we do.
In Christ’s holy Name – Amen. (And bless Gerry today!)
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