A word fitly spoken is like APPLES OF GOLD in a setting of silver – Proverbs 25v11
The Book of Jude is only 25 verses long, but is packed full of warnings, advice and encouragement. It ends with the doxology: ”To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy –to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and for evermore! Amen”. This verse assures us that when we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Saviour and have surrendered our will, mind and heart to Him, there is the assurance that our salvation is secure for all eternity.
Thankfully it is not dependant on our performance or lack of it. However, we need to take note of what is said in verse 21: “keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life”. God is able to keep us from stumbling, but we need to stay in His love if we are not to trip as we navigate our way through the confusion and trials of this life. We humans are strange – when life is good, instead of being thankful and growing closer to the Lord, we move out of God’s love because we think we don’t need Him. We become self-confident, self-absorbed, self-indulgent and arrogant. Then when life is not so good, we move out of God’s love because we are confused, disappointed, angry and discontent. This is the reason why so many Christians are not enjoying life to the full that Jesus promises.
Friends, let us stay in God’s love through good and bad times and if we have moved out of His love, let us confess our sin and return. Jesus made it clear in His parable of the Prodigal Son that the Lord never leaves us and when we step out of the Father’s love and go our own way, He is constantly scouring the horizon waiting for us to return. And when we do, because of His great love, He welcomes us back and restores us as though we had never left. When we stay in God’s love, we will also know true peace, joy and contentment in this world of turmoil, anger and selfishness. Then we will be like the Psalmist who says: “Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings” [Psalm 63v7].
Amen
Graeme Greenwood