SUE O'DONNELL. 23.04.21
“…take hold of the only life that is real and eternal.” (1 Timothy 6 v 19 The Truth)
This is the life God plans for us,
A life given to Christ Jesus.
In living to share His love
We find meaning and purpose,
The God given purpose of holiness.
Holiness is essential for us
If we are to reach heaven.
Heaven is a blessed place
Where no unholiness exists.
Because it is disobedience, irreverence,
Waywardness, rebelliousness, discourtesy,
Self-centredness, disdain, enmity,
Which cause our unhappiness.
Happiness, holiness and heaven are inseparable.
“But you are a (wo)man of God and are to run from all such fleshly desires, so that you can pursue a righteous way of life, full of godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.” (1 Timothy 6 v 11 The Truth)
We have to actively pursue holiness.
It is a gift to be sought after.
We must pray, calling on the Holy Spirit.
We must obey the Ten Commandments,
And the overarching demand of Christ Jesus,
To love others like He loves us, fully.
We are to unite ourselves with Him as Saviour,
For He took our sins to the †to gain forgiveness for us.
Look to the Spirit to forge within us
A new life of holiness which is prayerful and dutiful,
Respectful and industrious in Christ Jesus’ service.
For it is such a life the Lord God asks of us.
Be united to Christ Jesus’ Sacred Heart, body, blood and spirit,
All made available to us in the life giving Holy Eucharist.
“So that I could have Christ and live in Him…the righteousness I have now through faith in Christ.”
(Philippians 3 v 8 The Truth)
“This is the true righteousness that comes as a gift from God and can only be received through faith
in Christ.” (Philippians 3 v 9 The Truth)
Let us pray with thanksgiving because we are asked to “Always rejoice in the Lord!” (Philippians 4 v 4 The Truth)
We can pray then in gratitude for:
“The Lord is near; so there is no need to be anxious about anything.” (Philippians 4 v 5 The Truth);
We can “Pray about everything,” (v 6);
“God’s peace” although this “Is beyond our understanding, will keep our hearts and minds at one with Christ Jesus.” (based on v 7);
This then, is how to pursue a righteous life and meet with success;
The Holy Spirit enables us to reflect and act upon “Whatever is true and noble and right in God’s eyes, pure and lovely to Him; that He admires, which is everything that is excellent and worthy of praise.” (v 8);
All made possible because we belong entirely, body, soul and spirit, to Christ Jesus;
When we practice righteous living, we live in peace with each other, ourselves and our Father;
Hope, peace and joy are all gifted us through our faith in Christ Jesus, and our friendship with Him;
We have a Saviour through whom we can worship, helping to make us content in all circumstances;
We live by faith in the One who gifts us Himself sacramentally, through prayer and biblical study;
We meet with the living Word of God both personally and in what is written about our faith life;
We come to know the Father, through the Son, by the Holy Spirit;
We realise that the Lord God, the Almighty “Will surely supply for all our needs, drawing on the glorious riches He has given us through our unity with Christ Jesus,” (based on v 19);
“Glory belongs to God our Father for all eternity,” (v 20) that time and place we are intended to experience to live fully, joyously, at one with our Brother, our Sanctifier, the Holy Spirit and our Father;
We are the recipients of a profound love and mercy, all powerful, life changing, life enhancing, heaven gifting, and gracious;
“This faith and love are the result of the hope we have, for we are sure our Father has a rich reward for us in heaven.” (based on Colossians 1 v 5 The Truth);
We are called by the Holy Spirit to be joined with Christ our Saviour and Redeemer, in order to delight and honour our Father, who always has a godly purpose in mind;
This purpose is “The inheritance about which we have heard already through the Word of truth, the good news we have received of who Jesus Christ is, and all He has done for us.” (based on v 6);
In Christ Jesus is our holiness, our happiness, our hope of heaven as the power of holy love transforms and renews our life, ensuring we seek that which is holy;
The generous abundancy of love and mercy we are richly blessed to receive, are to be shared as widely as possible;
We have tasted of the Lord’s goodness towards us in the holiness of Christ Jesus shared with us, and this is our true happiness, a foretaste of heaven. Amen.
Images by Artist Christine Garwood
http://www.christinegarwoodartist.co.uk/
Season
Key Themes
JOY
HOLINESS
