The Daily Word

 

We all try to take care of ourselves and others who we love, and we try to look out for dangers, particularly when we have children to look after. Our basis nature includes that characteristic to protect ourselves and our families particularly.

The Apostle Peter introduces us to some spiritual care that we need to take, after we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour with the words, “Give due diligence to your calling”. We may look at our step of salvation as something that we ourselves have decided to take, and in one respect that is true. But Peter looks at it from God’s viewpoint, and he refers to our salvation as a ‘calling’. And that again is true, before we ever took a step of faith, God, through the work of the Holy Spirit, called us to Himself and that was really the start of the process.

But there is another meaning to the word ‘calling’, and that refers to an occupation. Some people are ‘called’ to serve in some capacity, they feel drawn to a particular role in society. And Peter has very much that meaning in mind when he wrote the words above, and that meaning to applies to us as Christians and concerns the way we live our life in the world. We have been called to serve the Saviour who gave His life for us and that service should be our highest priority.

We all have roles to fill and talents that God gives us to be used for Him, not to be wasted or used in some other way. So we are right to question whether we should take a role in the world which detracts from our service to God. Remember the words that Peter also writes earlier in his letter about God’s expectation of us, “Be ye holy, for I am holy”. There is the standard that God expects and He has provided us with the indwelling Holy Spirit to give us every assistance to achieve that standard. 

Article written by Brian Preston, Elder @SFGH Church