Shared Experiences; November 17, 2021

Posted on November 23, 2021 by jgarrott

Deuteronomy 24:18 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this.

Human beings are strange. The minute we get to what we consider a better status or situation, we tend to forget, or even actively try to forget, how things once were, and when we do, we tend to treat badly those who are as we once were. Moses is saying very clearly not to do that. A prime example of how we should be is Paul, who, though being the great apostle who wrote half the New Testament, still referred to himself as “the worst of sinners.” (1 Timothy 1:15) He didn’t dwell on how bad he was, but he never forgot that he had actively persecuted the Church and approved of the killing of Steven. That gave him compassion for others, and the perspective that God could save and use anyone. Instructions to “remember that you were slaves in Egypt” appear many times in the Old Testament, especially in this book of Deuteronomy, where Moses is trying to cement God’s truths into the hearts, minds, and culture of Israel. When we remember how gracious God has been to us, we are both grateful to Him and able to be gracious to others, and that is the road not only to personal happiness but also to a peaceful, generous society.

I’ve never been a slave, but I’ve certainly been a “Stranger in a Strange Land” (to quote the title of a Robert Heinlein book). It is both encouraging and informative to be part of a large Missionary Kids group on Facebook, where people who were children of missionaries from a wide variety of countries to a wide variety of other countries share their memories and current experiences. I’m also part of another group connected to the US Air Force dependents school I attended in Fukuoka. Those people are not missions-related but are still multi-cultural, often with other countries besides Japan included in the mix. There is an interesting level of connection among such people, in many ways like that among war veterans, because of the background of similar experiences. All of that gives me an empathy today with people from other countries who are living in Japan, because I know what it is to deal with culture clash. I am to make full use of all the Lord has allowed me to experience, so that, as Paul said, I may “comfort those in any trouble with the comfort [I myself] have received from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:4)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the many connections You’ve given us recently with various Chinese people. Help me minister effectively to them, as well as to the Japanese, so that in all things people may be drawn to You, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Name of the Lord; November 16, 2021

Posted on November 18, 2021 by jgarrott

Leviticus 22:32-33 “Do not profane my holy name. I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I am the Lord, who makes you holy and who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord.”

One thing we need to realize in reading this is that every time the English (or the Japanese) says “Lord,” it is actually the covenant name of our Creator, Yahweh. He is pounding it home to the Israelites, because they were used to all the gods of Egypt and were entering into the land of the Baals and Ashtoreth, the gods of Canaan. This is the “holy name” He is talking about. We have trouble relating to that because we are in a supposedly monotheistic society, and our idols don’t go by special names. In English, using “God” or “Christ” or “Jesus” as an expletive became so common that it lost its sting, and now people feel they have to use “the f-word” to actually be heard. It’s very pathetic, really. To use Paul’s expression, people’s consciences have been seared, and they are desensitized to what they are saying and doing. (1 Timothy 4:2) The devil does all he can to make us as unholy as possible, and too often we cooperate. We can’t make ourselves holy, but it is the height of foolishness to rebel against the God who makes us holy. Jesus even started the prayer He taught us with, “May Your name be acknowledged as holy.”

I don’t think I would go to the place taken by some in reaction to all this of typing “G_d,” rather than writing that out. Obviously, I even write out the covenant name when called for. However, I must not put the lie to what I proclaim every time I pray the Lord’s Prayer. I am not particularly familiar with the names of all the various “incarnations of the Buddha” in Japanese Buddhism, much less all the names of the “8 million gods” of Shinto, but that’s not an issue. The name I am to proclaim, and acknowledge as holy by my words and deeds, is that of Jesus Christ my Lord. As Paul wrote to the Philippians, “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

Father, I don’t often think about this issue. Help me operate in the holiness You have provided for me in Christ, particularly since for many people in this city I am something of His “public face.” May my life cause people to acknowledge You as holy and repent of their rebellion against You, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Regulations; November 15, 2021

Posted on November 18, 2021 by jgarrott

Leviticus 7:17 Any meat of the sacrifice left over till the third day must be burned up.

To be honest, Leviticus is probably my least favorite book of the Bible, and I happen to know it was for my mother as well. The endless lists of regulations quickly become mind-numbing, and even soul-numbing. However, each of the regulations had multiple purposes that we may or may not perceive. This one, for example, had the very practical purpose of avoiding foot poisoning, since they had no refrigeration in those days. However, the regulations regarding offerings as a whole had the overall purpose of teaching the people not to take the things of God lightly. Today in the US, things have gotten so casual that some pastors preach in jeans. It is not at all that our clothing can sanctify us, but all sorts of things can reflect our attitude toward the One we say we serve. Legalism for the sake of control is certainly destructive, but anti-legalism for the sake of license is at least as destructive. When King Hezekiah invited people from the Northern tribes to celebrate Passover in Jerusalem, most of them had not been following the customs in order to be ritually clean. Hezekiah prayed for them and they were acceptable. (2 Chronicles 30:18-20) The point was that Hezekiah didn’t say it didn’t matter, he took it to the Lord and asked for His grace and mercy, and it was granted. We are indeed freed from the myriad of regulations laid down in Leviticus, but if that causes us to take God lightly, we are in trouble. The early Church dealt with this issue a lot, and it nearly derailed things a couple of times. The essential point is that God wants our hearts in unreserved commitment. Physical things can sometimes contribute to that, but they are never to be a substitute for it.

I have had a distaste for legalism for as long as I can remember, but I have also tripped up at times over the very real issue of familiarity breeding contempt. I too need to remember that it is the Creator of the Universe I worship! In His incredible grace and mercy He has called me as His child, so I call Him Father, even Daddy, but I must not let that degrade into flippancy. I had the huge advantage of a physical father who was both loving and worthy of great respect, so my starting point for relating to God was miles ahead of what some people experience. As a pastor in Japan, I have the heavy responsibility of leading and teaching people who for the most part have no Christian tradition in their background. I need God’s wisdom to lead them into reverence but not legalism, intimacy but not flippancy, so that their faith may grow strong on the foundation of a genuine relationship with their Savior, and not be an empty shell of traditions and regulations.

Father, this is a big issue. Thank You for my bi-cultural perspective, making it easier to see what is human tradition and what is of You. Help me indeed not lean on my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6) but rather seek You out on every issue, so that Your will may be done in and through me. That is especially acute as we enter the Christmas season, which is so tradition-encrusted as to be idolatrous at times. Help us celebrate the miracle of You sending Your Son in ways that will open people’s hearts and draw them to You, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Depression; November 14, 2021

Posted on November 16, 2021 by jgarrott

Revelation 8:3-4 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand.

The is a much more ritualistic picture of prayer than we usually think of today. That said, virtually all of the images in Revelation are symbolic in various ways, so we need to be careful about patterning our lives around them. I think the point here is that our prayers are pleasing to God, a fitting sacrifice, much as incense, with which they are associated here. With a small child, the parent is happy that they talk to them, almost regardless of what the child is saying. God likes to hear us pray! In prayer we focus on Him, recognizing that we are inadequate in ourselves, and that is an important foundation to life as it should be. When we fail to pray, that means on at least some level that we think we can go it alone, or at least that we have to go it alone. Neither of those things is true! As Jesus said explicitly, apart from Him we can do nothing, (John 15:5) but the good news is, we don’t have to try to do it on our own, but rather live in concert with our Creator, who is omnipotent. Most depression comes from an inward focus that springs from missing those two great truths. If we feel we have to do it all ourselves, depression is the logical response! It is when we lift our eyes to Jesus and recognize His great love for us that we are liberated in many ways, from depression and many other traps of the devil. Prayer is a vital part of that. It’s no wonder that our Father is pleased when we do what we need to for walking in fellowship with Him!

I have experienced this from just about every human angle. In a self-centered funk, back in my college days, I genuinely wanted to die and was in the process of something that might well have succeeded in accomplishing that when the Lord spoke to me very simply: “Don’t do that.” I stopped, but my focus didn’t change very much very quickly. I didn’t have the sense to realize that God Himself had spoken to me because He cared, and He had plans for me! Talk about self-centered blindness! It took time, but thankfully God was more than patient with me, and my focus shifted. I will confess that even today, when I look at the state of the world around me and my own perceived inability to make a real impact on it all, I am tempted to depression, and I see that happening with many other like-minded people. The answer for us all is to pray, to recognize that yes, we are impotent against all the rot, but we know someone who is omnipotent in every sense, and that’s enough. We need to let go of the pride that says, “I’ve got to fix it.” God may or may not use us in the process, but fixing it is His ball game, and He can be trusted to get it done.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for telling me clearly, over 20 years ago now, that You aren’t happy with all the rot, and You’re not just letting it slide. Help me trust You enough to wait in patience for Your timing, rejoicing in You so as to be available for whatever part You have for me in Your plan, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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The Limits of Intellect; November 13, 2021

Posted on November 16, 2021 by jgarrott

Revelation 5:12 In a loud voice they sang:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”

I think the NIV is entirely justified in using “sang,” rather than “said,” here, because this verse, and really much of the whole book of Revelation, reminds me of a quote from Mozart. When asked to explain one of his compositions he said, “If I could put it into words, I wouldn’t need music.” With the Bible, it’s certainly not that the words themselves don’t have meaning, it’s that the meaning is often deeper and higher and greater than human vocabulary can express. People get particularly tied in knots over books like Revelation and Daniel and Ezekiel. Just from this chapter we have a lamb with seven eyes and seven horns that had been slain, yet is able to take a scroll and open its seals? And this same Being is described as the Lion of the tribe of Judah! If we pursue the things of God, we quickly run into the limits of human intellect and expression. Thankfully, God is able to reveal things to our spirit so that we know that we know that we know, even when we can’t put it into words. Human intellect and language are marvelous gifts from God and are to be used for His glory, but they are sadly not up to the task of expressing and explaining an infinite, omnipotent God. That isn’t to say that they are to be ignored, much less thrown out. It is, however, to say that humility is essential in approaching the things of God, just as the Bible itself says many times. God delights to reveal Himself to His children, but when we think we can “figure Him out” on our own, we get into serious trouble very quickly. Human religion is virtually without exception polluted by human attempts to figure out God, which immediately makes our image of Him be like us, instead of our becoming more like Him. We need to receive what He says about Himself, in words and directly to our spirits, and not try to create categories and boxes to put Him into.

This has been an issue for me. I was first identified as having an IQ of 150+ when I was in the 5th grade, and in the 7th grade my English teacher was honest enough to tell me that I had tested to a higher level of vocabulary than she had. I have intellect, and I have words. That said, I cannot fully comprehend God, much less describe Him. As I am frequently reminded, pride has always been a snare to me. I am to use the gifts my Creator has given me to do His will, even when I can’t grasp what He is doing through me. Eleven years ago He told me to rest, relax, and rejoice. That’s a good thing, because the more I try to figure it all out, the more I descend into paralyzing mental traps. When I trust Him, and not myself or my abilities, then I have the peace I need and I am available and useful to Him.

Father, thank You for this strong, timely reminder. I have recently been given deadlines for a magazine article and for my notes for a major speech. Help me not try to “cook up” either of those, but rather be quiet enough before You to hear what You want to say through me, for the blessing of my readers and hearers and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Spiritual Growth; November 12, 2021

Posted on November 15, 2021 by jgarrott

Jude 1:24-25 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy–to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

I can’t read this passage in English without Don Francisco’s musical setting for it running through my mind, but that’s not a bad thing! It is one of the most striking doxologies in the whole Bible, which is remarkable considering that it was written by someone who physically was Jesus’ kid brother. It’s interesting to think about his journey of faith, to go from thinking his big brother had flipped out to knowing that the person he had grown up with was the Son of God. In identifying himself at the beginning of this letter he does mention that he’s “a brother of James,” but rather than saying he’s a brother of Jesus, he says he’s “a servant of Jesus Christ.” (verse 1) Here, he reiterates the terminology of “Jesus Christ our Lord.” That process had to be very humbling for Jude, but we can be sure he was deeply grateful for it. I can’t even imagine going through that sort of shift of perspective. That said, the content of this doxology that makes it such a blessing to sing is the assurance that, in spite of all our weaknesses, God’s got us, and we don’t need to be anxious. Every time we slip up, every time we are confronted with our own foolishness and inability, we do well to remember this doxology, and praise God. Paul was likewise convinced of God’s all-sufficient faithfulness, writing things like, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 1:6) and “God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.” (1 Corinthians 1:9) The more we focus on ourselves, the less likely we are to believe that God could use us for anything worthwhile. The more we focus on Christ, the more we realize that He can do absolutely anything – even using us!

God had to take me from the heights of conceit, thinking I could do it all on my own, to realizing I could do absolutely nothing right without Him, (John 15:5) to finally realizing He could use me in spite of myself. I had a spiritually incredibly blessed childhood, perhaps not equivalent to growing up in the same house as Jesus, but somehow close. I squandered that amazingly! As I have come into better alignment with the Lord He has made good use of all that I have gone through, but I can take no credit for that. Right now I have no question that I will spend eternity with my Lord, but the fact that I’m still here teaches me that He still has things for me to do. I also know that in doing them, I will be further grown and purified, preparing me for the day I will stand before Him. I try to help others understand that for and about themselves, but they tend to look at me and place me in a separate category from them, not knowing all I’ve been through. Any differences among people are, to use a Japanese proverb, like acorns comparing height. All I can do is speak the truth in love, praying that the Lord would take the words from my mouth and use them to impart faith and revelation to my hearers, for their blessing and His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your incredible grace toward me. I pray that indeed every time I open my mouth, whether I’m talking to an individual, a group, or a crowd, that it would be Your words that come out, accomplishing all, and exactly, that you intend for them, (Isaiah 55:10-11) for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Priorities; November 11, 2021

Posted on November 15, 2021 by jgarrott

3 John 1:2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.

John knew his friend well, and had no worries about his spiritual condition. With that settled, he also prayed blessing on the affairs of Gaius’ life, and on his health. (The NIV reverses that order.) We tend to get those priorities scrambled. There are proverbs in various languages to the effect that only the sick know what health is. For those with serious health issues, those issues tend to “suck all the air out of the room” in terms of priorities. However, for the nominally healthy, the general affairs of life tend to take priority. We’re concerned with making money, getting along with people, and gaining or exercising influence. Sadly, too often the spiritual never enters into our thinking. We have no grasp of the reality that we aren’t physical beings who happen to have a soul, we are spiritual beings who inhabit bodies. It’s no wonder we get our priorities confused! Jesus very famously said, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) That is placing the spiritual first in our priorities, and when we do that, everything else does indeed fall into place. Placing finances first is a common mistake, but as Paul said, “Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:10) I couldn’t count how many people I’ve dealt with who’ve put things off “until I have the money” and have never gotten around to things that would have been major blessings. I’ve particularly seen that in Japan with marriage, and at times it is genuinely tragic. Interestingly, when the spiritual is properly placed first, even serious health issues recede into the background. They don’t disappear, but they are no longer all-consuming. It was easy for John to pray for Gaius because he knew his friend had his priorities straight.

Of course this applies to me, as it does to everyone. I have quite good health for my age, but I have had a few issues, such as basal cell carcinomas, shingles, and hernia surgery. Frankly, those have felt like no more than minor bumps, interesting experiences along the way. I have had ups and downs financially, and there have been issues with family and with other people that have upset me in various ways. All in all, though, God has been more than gracious. I think things look that way to me because the Lord has indeed let me have His kingdom and His righteousness as my first priority. I am increasingly aware that everything I can see, hear, and experience with my physical senses is temporal, and thus of minor importance. By God’s grace I am His child, redeemed by the blood of His Son, and in the final analysis that outweighs everything else. I want to be a good son, pleasing to my Father, so I am to be careful in my stewardship of all that He gives me, all the way down to each breath I take. It has taken quite a few years to get to this point, but I can say with deep gratitude that it is a place of peace and joy.

Father, thank You indeed for Your amazing grace toward me. Thank You for the uncountable abundance of Your blessings, on every level. The devil tries all he can to distract me and get me to complain, and sometimes I trip up. Forgive me, and help me indeed focus on Jesus Christ my Lord, (Hebrews 12:2) to be and do all that You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Eternal Life; November 10, 2021

Posted on November 14, 2021 by jgarrott

1 John 5:11-12 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

This is as black-and-white a statement as you could find, and it was written by John, the “Apostle of Love!” Those who twist the Bible around to come up with universalism aren’t operating in the love they probably proclaim, but are severely deceived at best. We don’t like to confront Jesus’ statement that “Small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:14) It is true that God “wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth,” (1 Timothy 2:4) but the plain fact of the matter is that there are vast numbers of people who won’t do that. We don’t like to confront that truth, and we are commissioned to share the Good News of salvation with as many as will receive it, but the simple fact of the matter is that many won’t. That is perhaps the greatest tragedy of life. When someone dies physically having acknowledged Jesus as their Lord, that death is a very minor bump in the flow of their overall existence. We make a big deal of it and weep and mourn, but for the person himself or herself, it is a release into more joy and glory than our physical bodies can handle. However, for the person who has not acknowledged Jesus as their Lord, death is entrance into a more horrible eternity than we can imagine. That’s why the devil tries to convince people hell doesn’t exist, and for that matter, that he doesn’t exist. He doesn’t want people to recognize the choice that is laid before them. However much we might want the situation to be different, the Bible is very clear. Again, Jesus pulled no punches when He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) We try all sorts of mental gymnastics to come up with other “ways,” but Jesus shut that down. The Japanese even have a proverb that says, “There are many paths up Mt. Fuji, but they all reach the top,” meaning that all religions are equally valid. Unfortunately, that is a lie from the pit of hell, and as I said, hell is not a fiction! How this can be, when God is so gracious and loving, is certainly “above our pay grade,” but trying to deny it simply blocks people from the opportunity to repent and believe for their salvation.

This of course is intimately tied to my daily life, because not only am I a believer, seeking to walk each day in Christ, I am a missionary pastor in Japan, surrounded by people who manifestly haven’t committed their lives to Jesus. I am constantly required to release people, and the whole situation, to God, because if I dwell on it I will totally burn out emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually. I am to be faithful in presenting the Gospel to as many as will receive it, and I am to rejoice when they do, but at the same time not take it as my personal burden when they don’t. I can’t bear that burden! We tend to think the situation is very different in America, but simply looking at the news and social media convinces me it’s not. There are many who on the one hand profess to be Christians, but on the other hand actively promote things that are clearly in violation of Scripture, and of the very character of God. Repentance is always an option, but for those who don’t take that option, their fate is sealed. I tremble to say it, but the Bible is clear.

Father, I certainly didn’t expect to take such a dark turn this morning. Thank You for the reminder. I pray that it would give me fresh urgency in the task You have laid out for me, so that as many as possible may at least have the opportunity of salvation, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Practical Love; November 9, 2021

Posted on November 14, 2021 by jgarrott

1 John 3:18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

Sometimes we forget what a practical, down-to-earth book the Bible is. Here John very politely knocks the stuffing out of people who say nice things but don’t follow through. We see it all the time, and truth be told, we can do it ourselves. That’s one way we are very different from God! God’s very words create worlds, but ours don’t have that power, and we’ve got to follow them up with action. These days we have a lot of people saying compassionate-sounding things, but they want the government to do the acting, rather than taking personal responsibility. To be blunt, they want it done with somebody else’s money. An experiment was done on multiple college campuses of talking with students about “the needs of the poor,” and the students were very enthusiastic. Then, the suggestion was made that everyone go sell their rather expensive smart phones to get the money to help the poor, and instantly, no one was in favor. That’s exactly what John is talking about here. God doesn’t demand poverty of everyone; that would totally destroy any economy. What He does say is that we are responsible for what He puts in our hands, not in the hands of others, so we are to express love with what we ourselves can do. If the Church worldwide were really living this out, there would be no need for the vast majority of government programs. We need to look honestly at our words and our actions and see if they line up. Sometimes all we can do is pray, but do we pray? Likewise, any time we pray we need to be willing to be God’s instrument in answering that prayer, even if it means personal sacrifice. To go back to John, we indeed need to love in actions and in truth.

I think I’ve done my share of saying, “Go in peace, be warm and filled,” (James 2:16) without doing anything to make it happen. I certainly can’t say I’m proud of that! I have also promised prayer many times that I have failed to follow through, and that too is shameful. In seminary, Dr. Cal Guy set a magnificent example that I strive to follow. Any time anyone asked for prayer, whether in the middle of class, walking across the campus, or in a grocery store in town, he would stop and pray, and it was genuine, heartfelt prayer. There often is very little I can do physically to improve situations, but I can always pray, and nothing is too difficult for God. However, as I have said, I must never remove myself from God’s list of options in meeting that need, answering that prayer.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for prompting me through Cathy to call the family last night whose mother was taken to the hospital yesterday. I do pray Your best for each member of that family and Your total healing for that mother. I pray that I would not hesitate to lay down my life for those in my care, not being jealous of my time or effort but giving myself fully to You through giving myself to them, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Peter; November 8, 2021

Posted on November 11, 2021 by jgarrott

1 Peter 4:7-8 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

Peter never ceases to amaze me. That God could and would take someone as he manifestly was at first, a brash, uneducated fisherman, bossy and opinionated, and turn him into the man we see here just blows my mind. The thing is, the history of the Church is filled with such stories. Even Paul couldn’t believe his own transformation! (1 Timothy 1:12-16) Augustine of Hippo is another who comes immediately to mind and there are countless more, all the way to this present moment. Here, Peter is implying the supreme importance of prayer, and then he states the supreme importance of love. Being clear minded and self-controlled certainly seems desirable, but Peter says that the purpose of such desirable traits is prayer. We tend to put that in the opposite order, praying that we can be clear minded and self-controlled! The thing is, prayer is fellowship with our Creator and Lord, not just expressing what is on our heart but hearing what is on His. Along with worship, it is direct practice for how we will spend eternity. Even then, Peter says “above all,” and brings up love. As Paul so famously wrote in 1 Corinthians 13, without love it all falls apart. We tend to take this statement as our love covering over another person’s sin, but in the case of the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, He said that her love covered over her sin. (Luke 7:36-50) Since we all sin, if we fail to love, we’re in trouble! That Peter, of all people, would come to this realization shows the transforming power of God. We have a lot to learn from him, allowing God to transform us just as He transformed him, for our blessing and His glory.

As I write from time to time, I have been enormously blessed by Peter and his example. Those who know me compare me much more to Paul, and I personally would like to be like John, but Peter’s example and what he wrote, though comparatively (to Paul, anyway) brief, has been an enormous help and encouragement to me. The encouragement comes from the clear proof that God can use anyone; it doesn’t matter how you are when He starts. I have written about the absolutely stupid pride and conceit that blinded me to so much, until God so kindly showed me a mirror and I repented in abject tears. At this point, I realize I have plenty of room to grow in prayer, as Peter says here, and there’s always room to grow in love. Agape love isn’t always soft and yielding, but it always draws everyone involved toward God, who is Love itself. (1 John 4:8) I want to keep growing, just as Peter did, to be exactly what God wants me to be, for the sake of His kingdom and for His glory.

Father, You know me and love me, even with all my weaknesses and faults. Thank You. Help me draw ever closer to You, allowing You to flow through me to every person and situation I encounter, so that Your will may be done on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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