Have you noticed that life
has a way of swirling all around us sweeping us up into its flow and carrying
us along from one urgent task to the next? Have you ever wondered why things
happen the way they do? Most importantly, have you ever been filled with regret
as you review your responses? Have you ever felt like things were hurtling
forward and you were not engaging the way you wanted? Are you confused about
your future? Are you concerned about the spiritual future of your children?
I think all of us have experienced this to some degree.
It is important as Christians and especially as parents to determine the
priorities in our lives so we can order our lives in a way that glorifies God.
So, at this point, most people begin to think of career priorities, possession
procurement priorities, wealth building priorities, business priorities,
retirement priorities, family time priorities, or a host of other priorities.
However, I want to suggest that there is a priority pursuit that surpasses all
of that. About 20 years ago, I was doing a Bible study on the life of Peter and
of course spent a lot of time reading his 2 letters to the church, 1st
and 2nd Peter. I discovered a set of priorities that will see us
through life.
In 2Peter chapter1, we are told that God desires to give
us a rich welcome into Heaven someday. Entrance into Heaven is based on one’s
repentance of sins and the receiving of forgiveness through the sacrificial
death and resurrection of God’s only son Jesus. Peter is speaking to the church
who have experienced this and he tells them that God wants to give them a rich
welcome into Heaven. This implies that there are other types of welcomes into
Heaven. What is a rich welcome like? I’m
not sure, but I have seen film footage of the welcome the soldiers returning
from WW2 received…a rich welcome! So, maybe it would be similar to that, but
only on a “Heavenly scale”. No matter what it would be, it is better than a
plain welcome. Don’t get me wrong, any welcome into Heaven is fantastic, but if
God wants to offer me a rich welcome, I believe I would like to go for it! What
about you? I would also like to help my children receive a rich welcome into
Heaven!
Peter, knowing that some would instantly respond that
they could not make it, assures us that God has given us everything we need for
life and Godliness through Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the promises of God’s
Word. He then goes on to assure us that God wants us to participate in the
Divine nature. After all, when we repent of our sinfulness and place our faith
in the work of Jesus we are adopted into God’s family as sons and daughters who
are left on the Earth to be a light in the darkness. Discipleship is all about
learning to no longer live as children of darkness and learning to live as
children of Light(Ephesians 4:17- 5:21).
Then, Peter lays it out for us. This is how you receive a
rich welcome into Heaven. By the way, he is also showing us how we set aside
the nature of the flesh and grow in the nature of God. He tells us to make every
effort to add qualities to our faith. We are to add moral excellence, knowledge
of spiritual things, self control, perseverance/patience, Godliness, brotherly
kindness, and love. Notice that these are character qualities not deeds of
service. Service grows out of these qualities, but service is no substitute for
these qualities.
How do we make every effort
to add these? I believe the first is make growth in these qualities a part of
our daily prayer life asking the Holy Spirit to help us. It is helpful to
memorize this passage. Then, I believe we should look for opportunities to
express these as we go through our day. I believe God will do great things in
and through us as we make this effort!
Most
of all, I want to encourage you to make these qualities the cornerstone of
conduct in your home. We need to explain these things to our children. We need
to role model these before our children. We need to incorporate these values
into our discipline and correction of our children. We should cheer and applaud
the growth of these qualities as much as we would a good report card or an
athletic achievement. After all, isn’t this what really matters?!
Spend
some time reading the first chapter of 2nd Peter(I have only brushed
the highlights here). Spend some time asking the Holy Spirit to help you grasp
it. Choose to live it. Make your mind up to go for it! Determine to impart this
spiritual truth into your children. Make these qualities the hallmark of the
culture in your family! This is truly a worthy goal that will bless your family
for generations and into eternity! Imagine the impact this could have on the
future of your family!
Wonderful, mainly unused word these days is the word "Legacy". That's forward thinking and planning that most aren't even aware of. I probably wouldn't think too much about it either, but as I recently lost my 87 year old mother, my husband had been asked by her to share something at her memorial service. He spoke on "Legacy" and the life my mother had lived out before us and the example she left. A Godly woman!! Not a Perfect woman but one that had grown in Grace over those 87 years and left an indelible imprint of her trust and faith in a Mighty God through those characteristics she allowed God to work in her life as listed in the book of Peter. Tangible evidence of a legacy passed to her children and next generations, we all saw Christ formed in her and the baton passed on!! Awesome teaching and may we aspire to allow God to add these things to our lives!!
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