(Friends: Most Saturdays for the duration of this year, I plan on sharing a message that relates to the character and nature of God, and our response thereunto. I hope you will find it helpful, and as always, thanks for allowing us to send the devotionals to you. Glen).
The Saturday Series - 43
"Higher, Deeper, Onward!"
"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (II Peter 3:18).
The Apostle Peter's command that we grow implies our privilege and our need to progress in our relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Note the two components of growth to which Peter calls us, namely grace and the knowledge of our blessed Lord. To whatever degree we presently understand and experience God's freely given favor in Christ, He would have us drink even more deeply of His "free gift" (Romans 5:15-18). The Apostle also beckons us to personal and doctrinal knowledge of the Lord Jesus that leads to our experience of His glory. Wherever we are in our reception of grace and knowledge of God, our Heavenly Father calls us to come higher, swim deeper, and journey ever onward.
The Person and being of God comprises an infinite, inexhaustible, and eternal glory of goodness, greatness, and the love that pervades all. As the poet of old exulted, "Shoreless Ocean, who can sound Thee? Thine own eternity is round Thee, Majesty Divine!" Certainly such wondrous glory overwhelms us, but if we will open our eyes to see, a most practical path lies before us. Indeed, to whatever degree we presently know the wonder, peace, and joy of the living God, we can know more. He is not content with where we are because He so well knows Himself. Our Lord is aware of blessedness in His being we have yet to discover, again, regardless of how high, deep, or far we have ventured into the glory of God. He made and redeemed us to know such wonder, and the calling to grow offers His invitation to be more amazed, enthralled, and overwhelmed than we have heretofore experienced.
As the poet suggests, we sail upon an Ocean whereupon the horizon will eternally call us to come further. We venture this day into the infinite depths and unto the everlasting reach of God's glory. We may therefore view this present time - whatever its condition, circumstance, and situation - as opportunity to better know, love, trust, obey, and communicate our Lord to others. We should awaken to the rising sun in the realization of opportunity to more clearly see the risen Son. "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24). What wonders of Himself might He reveal to us in this day if we live with an expectant heart that seeks to grow in grace and knowledge of the Savior? We do not know. But of this we can be sure: the living, eternal, and infinite God purposes that we will. Let us join Him for the journey, the voyage into our Lord Himself. A prayerful heart, an open Bible, the expectation of faith, and determination to trust and obey God by the power of the Holy Spirit illuminates the path of possibility that lies before us. We shall not be disappointed, nor will we ever reach the conclusion of our expedition into the grace and knowledge of God. Higher, deeper, onward...
There is no end to the quest we know,
forever beckons on.
We soar in skies so bright and blue,
above all clouds of storm.
Yes, we fly into the heart of God,
as in His Son we trust.
And earth will soon be nothing more
than long forgotten dust.
So spread your wings and catch the wind,
o journeyman of hope.
And race toward horizons blessed
with those who also know,
That the quest of hearts is Jesus,
He is our shining sun.
It matters not how far we've come...
the Journey's just begun.
"The path of the just is as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day."
(Proverbs 4:18)
Weekly Memory Verse
Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
(I Timothy 1:17)
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