Day 4. Made to Last Forever

Day 4. Made to Last Forever.

Eternity begins now! Today is the first day of the rest of your eternal life. I like Warren’s thought on page 37, “When you comprehend that there is more to life than the here and now…you will start living in the light of eternity, and that will color how you handle every relationship, task and circumstance.”

John Wesley called this transformation “sanctification,” that is not of our own doing but grace working in us, moving us toward spiritual maturity that Wesley called Christian Perfection, ie. perfect in love of God, love of neighbor and self, and taking on the mind of Christ. That perfect love can be described as wholeness, serving God with the whole heart, single-mindedly in devotion to Him (Boring and Cradock). We are called to that mature, perfect love. Jesus said we are to become perfect [in love] as our heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48).

Not that we would be without sin, for all sin unintentionally, even love may lead us to sin, but that we would become free of intentional sin through the freely-offered sanctifying grace of God. We would be made “perfect” in this life if only at the instant that we transitioned to the next. Wesley certainly believed that we are to allow sanctifying grace to prepare us in this life for the life to come.

"Perfection" sounds like tough stuff, but remember it is not of our own doing but of grace.

Wesley taught that we should not wait for transformation but vigorously pursue it by “universal obedience” and practicing the means of grace. What then should we do to immerse ourselves in sanctifying grace this Lenten Season? Wesley taught

• By reading Scripture: The revelation of God, especially the mind of Christ.
• By prayer: Constant communication with the object of our love (To love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength.) Do we not talk often to our beloved?
• By fasting: Being mindful of our dependence on Him leads us to more complete surrender to Him. (Wesley called his preachers to fast on Wednesdays and Fridays normally breaking the fast at about 3:00 pm (some say to make sure Wesley didn’t miss afternoon tea!))
• By participating in Holy Communion: Remembering God’s mighty acts of salvation in Jesus Christ and His promise of eternal life and allowing grace to lead us in response.
• By Christian Conferencing: Holy conversations with those like minded who will hold us accountable to love God and neighbor and to walk as Jesus would have walked.

We prepare in this life for the next when we place ourselves within the grace of God, discern his nudgings and accept them, when we say “Yes” to grace. We are then “transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2 NRSV)

Going on to Christian perfection, toward perfection in love, is living a life of worship, living a life that brings pleasure to God, which is Warren’s first purpose for our lives.

Blessing on your Lenten journey of worship!

Rick