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If we want to love life and see good days for ourselves and others (and who doesn't)?
we shall listen to the Lord's words through David and Peter seeking peace which is
unity and concord. Endeavour by knowledge to find understanding and sympathy with
others and so still the lips of ill-advised comment. If our heart is right the Holy Spirit
will put the words into our prayers that will purify our desires and give a new direction to
the day before us. Sadly where the heart is not right our prayers feel dead and God seems
far away.
"And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and
if ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither
be ye troubled" (3: 13, 14).
Paul in his letter to the Romans echoed these sentiments in the closing chapters on this
triumphant note:
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor
powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other
creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord" (Rom. 8: 38, 39).
Persecution and martyrdom became progressively more rife in those days and words
of comfort and encouragement were very necessary. What sort of opposition do we meet
today? I think perhaps it is more insidious. The preacher at my church had in passing,
sought to rationalize miracles saying they were not unique, leprosy might have been
eczema! etc. I discussed it with the parish clerk who said "What did it matter, it
happened so long ago". The fact that the miracles had to be supernatural as proof of
Christ's Messiahship was unknown to this official but the preacher, who was a qualified
schoolmaster should have known better. Defence of the truth often brings ostracism but
let our defence of the truth await an appropriate opening lest the word be out of season
and we close a door both to ourselves and others in Christ who may follow us.
"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to
every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness (gentle of
temper) and fear: having a good conscience" (3: 15, 16).
To sanctify the Lord God in our hearts is to so let the Holy Spirit have free run in our
hearts that we are separated from the world unto Him and His purposes for us in Christ.
This separation from the world only refers to those aspects of our daily experience of life
that are not in harmony with God as judged by our conscience. It is one thing for me
from retirement in old age to write these things, it is another to those caught up in the
process of earning a living and perforce meeting people often of questionable and amoral
character. But this is the test of our faith and trust in Him for guidance and strength. We
cannot and are not intended to withdraw ourselves. Rather as our text says prepare
ourselves to give an answer to every man as to the hope we hold. And this is to be as
opportunity allows. This whole concept can be epitomized as "set apart Christ as Lord in
your hearts".
This witness to the Lord and His Word is most important. There is not one believer
who should say as Moses did at first "I am not eloquent . . . . . and the Lord said unto