Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 1 Peter 2: 11, NIV.
Dear Heavenly Father, as we come to the end of this year, we thank You for having been in our lives, and for Your grace which gives us strength to be over-comers. We offer You this thanks in the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
I thought that this was good advice for us to reflect upon as we stand on the threshold of a new year. As Christians, it is always a good thing to remember that this world is not our home. Yet, as good stewards, it is our duty to faithfully care for God’s creatures and His creation as a whole, as we sojourn here on earth.
Let us remember that it was sin that caused us to become exiles in the first place (Genesis 3: 22-24). We were created to live in Paradise! That is how much God loves us, and how highly He regards His children. How blessed we are to have such a loving, Heavenly Father!
We are not only exiles but foreigners. I came upon a rather interesting definition of foreigners in The Free Dictionary by Farlex, “a person who lives beyond the mountains.” That is us – our permanent home is “beyond the mountains” of this world. Oftentimes these mountains try to separate us from our Heavenly Father. But we can use these mountains to remind us of how blessed we are, instead of allowing them to separate us, from Him.
I love to contemplate the mountains. They speak to me of God’s majesty and might – of His strength and power. Let me explain why I used three words that seem to say the same thing (might, power, strength) to describe God.
When the mountain of fear raises its threatening head, I think of God’s might. In my mind’s eye, I imagine God flexing His divine muscles to remind us of His ability to protect us from every foe.
When the mountain of doubt hides the Savior from my view, I think of His power. It reminds me, beyond any reasonable doubt, that the battle for our souls was fought and won, more than two thousand years ago, and that I can leave all my battles to Him.
When I am at my lowest, and weakest, moment, I think of His strength; and I am reminded that He is able to keep me from “falling” and to “present me” and you, and everyone who put their trust in Him, “faultless before the presence of His glory” on that final day, with “exceeding joy” (Jude 24, KJV)!
Therefore, no matter what the future holds, you and I are in good hands! We have divine protection against the “sinful desires, which wage war against [our] soul[s].” Let us make good use of it. By God’s grace, the coming year, could be our best year yet!
Blessings!