Todays readings.. Judges 9, Isaiah 35, 1 Peter 1
“PREPARING OUR MINDS FOR ACTION”
The above words jumped out at us in 1 Peter 1 v.13. What action are we preparing for? In one sense, each morning we need to prepare our minds for action to make that day count in service before God – and even more so as we start a new week.
We must be ready to cope with each days challenges. Believers through the centuries have encountered times of crisis and challenges in their lives. The Jewish exiles to whom Peter was writing were suffering persecution, with greater persecution coming as a result of the Jews rebellion against Rome in AD 67-70.
But Peter writes of those “who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” [v.5] We conclude Peter is being inspired to write what is meaningful for our days as well as his.
The end of the Gentile age will parallel the end of the Jewish age. Peter further writes, “if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials so that the tested genuineness of your faith – more precious than gold … may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” [v.6,7]. He writes of the time when the truly faithful will “rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith” [v.8,9].
Our Isaiah reading (Ch.35) has wonderful words about this time when the faithful “come to Zion with singing: everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” [v.10]
So let us, start each day, by “preparing our minds for action …having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth …” [1 Peter 1 v.13,22]; an obedience shown by our love for one another “earnestly from a pure heart … through the living and abiding word of God” [v.22] that we feed we on every day as the major factor in “preparing our minds for action”
