At one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.
- Ephesians 5:8When I think of purity, the craziest thing comes to my mind. I think of maple syrup. As teenagers, my brothers and I helped my grandfather collect sap from maple trees. We'd gather all the pails, take them to the sugar shack, and boil the sap down to make hundreds of gallons of pure maple syrup.
Now, you may think you've tasted pure maple syrup before, but just read the label. If it says, "Contains pure maple syrup," it's not the real thing. You can tell I'm a bit fussy about my syrup even today.
Here's the connection. Whether it's maple syrup or the life of a follower of Jesus Christ, if something else is mixed in, it's not pure.
The apostle Paul laid it out clearly in Romans 12:1-2: "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world [don't mix in anything worldly], but be transformed by the renewal of your mind."
Our personal habits settle down very quickly into how we live. And believe it, God knows. If your life pleases Him, then you're like a fragrant offering rising up to His nose. He breathes in your sacrifice. He receives your life as pure worship.
So where do you stand on the issue of purity? "Well, I'm kind of new in the Lord, and I have some habits." Well, great! Now you know, and you can break them and continue to get free in Christ. You say, "Well, I used to be there, but I've kind of lowered my guard a little bit." Okay - raise it again! Let's be done with anything not fitting God's called-out ones. Holiness means no more games.
Nothing tastes as sweet or smells as fragrant to God as a pure life. If you are willing for God to change you, then get ready to taste and see His goodness as He directs your life to pure living. Life mixed with any of the world's ingredients will never satisfy again. No matter where you are, start today.
-James Mcdonald
Oh freak.
ReplyDeleteI was wrestling in my heart with this right after I saw the video yesterday night and even all of today...I repented and I asked God to make me pure and not "good". Oh man, it seems as though he is doing a work in me. But today I compromised again and mixed. After reading this I am just blown away.
No more games. AMEN