Andy Stoddard ~ Keep on Moving: Perfect in Love
One of the things that I know most about faith is that we are going somewhere. We are on the move. We have a direction and a purpose.
Now that somewhere, in time, is heaven. One day, for those of us that believe, we will cross over into eternity and we will forever be with the Lord. That’s something to hope in, believe in, and rejoice in.
But that’s not just what I’m talking about it. Listen to what we read today in Hebrews 6: 1-3:
Therefore let us go on toward perfection, leaving behind the basic teaching about Christ, and not laying again the foundation: repentance from dead works and faith toward God, instruction about baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And we will do this, if God permits.
We are going on to perfection. That’s scary. We don’t like the sound of that. Perfection? None of us are anywhere near that!
And you know what? That’s exactly true. None of us are anywhere near perfection. But just because we aren’t anywhere near it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be moving towards it. We aren’t perfect. That’s right.
But you know what? We are working to be faithful. And that’s always the first step, the first key.
And second, we have to understand what it means to be perfect.
Let me ask you this: what is the aim or goal of our faith? What are we after? What are we doing? We are seeking, by his grace, to be more like God.
And what is God? Holy and Love. That’s his character. So how does Jesus tell us to be like him? He says the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all that we are, and love our neighbor as ourselves.
That’s what true obedience looks like.
That’s what true holiness looks like.
That’s what perfection looks like. John Wesley didn’t talk about perfection in action. He talked about perfection in love.
That’s what we are chasing. That’s our aim. Perfect in love.
Today, let’s keep moving. Let’s keep being faithful. Let’s keep working. Let’s keep growing. Let’s move toward being perfect in love. And let’s see what God does with it!
Read more reflections at www.revandy.org.