I read a passage this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” that’s a pretty tall order – especially in the kind of world and culture where we live out our Christianity… 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 NIV)
“May God himself, the God of peace, SANCTIFY YOU THROUGH AND THROUGH. May your whole spirit, soul and body be KEPT BLAMELESS at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Wow!! “Sanctified through-and-through!! Holy! Completely set apart to the Lord, His will, His purposes, His cause!! Spirit, soul, and body – inside and out – every attitude, inclination, molecule and atom, blameless and without fault when the Lord returns!! Can you imagine it! How is that possible?! Well Paul, the apostle put it this way…
“THE ONE WHO CALLS YOU IS FAITHFUL, AND HE WILL DO IT!” What a relief eh? It will be God’s provision, initiative, activity and power at work in our lives that makes it possible!
But there’s our part as well. And I can tell you that’s when I began to have serious reservations… I know my weakness, I’m aware of the power of temptation, I’m all to aware of the times I’ve fallen short!! I was praying about that this morning when the words of this old gospel song came to mind. From my experience and perspective it helps provide an answer to “my side of it”…
- Dying with Jesus, by death reckoned mine;
Living with Jesus, a new life divine;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine,
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.
Refrain:
Moment by moment I’m kept in His love;
Moment by moment I’ve life from above;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine;
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.
- Never a trial that He is not there,
Never a burden that He doth not bear,
Never a sorrow that He doth not share,
Moment by moment, I’m under His care.
- Never a heartache, and never a groan,
Never a teardrop, and never a moan;
Never a danger but there on the throne,
Moment by moment He thinks of His own.
- Never a weakness that He doth not feel,
Never a sickness that He cannot heal;
Moment by moment, in woe or in weal,
Jesus my Savior abides with me still.
Daniel W. Whittle – 1893
Coffee With The Lord 