Thoroughly Godly

Over the last few months the words "thoroughly godly" have been pressing on my mind and heart. I have been praying for God to make me true, thorough, in my Christian walk. I think you know what I mean, as we are all on this journey of sanctification! But there are areas of our lives that may not necessarily look directly ungodly, yet are lurking there, bringing a weak link into our armor. Things like how we spend our free time (tv? How much and what kind of programs are we viewing?, internet surfing), how we talk to (or raise our voice at) our children when nobody from church is listening, what we allow in our minds, what we meditate on, covetousness of others, self-righteous thinking when we look at other Christians or non-Christians. Lack of love or compassion for others. All of these "little things" are actually enormous planks in our eyes that we are carrying around.

And yesterday, like only God can orchestrate, our Pastor's teaching on Ephesians 5:8-14 really brought home all that God is intending for me, and for His church. These verses were the ones I had run to initially when I sensed God speaking to me about being "thorough" in my pursuit of godliness. But hearing the pastor preach on them brought new perspective for me.

We are to be discerning what is pleasing to the Lord. "And try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord." Eph. 5:10a. We are to be working at our discernment skills. This only happens as we spend time in the Word and in prayer, allowing God to give us "a new mind" that is not conformed to the World. This also means following the prompt we feel ever so slightly when we start viewing, thinking, saying, or doing something we KNOW is NOT PLEASING to God. Our conscience is a gift from God that helps us pursue holiness, but we must yield to it! This is something I try to teach my girls, and yet I need to teach to myself! We are to shun life in the dark. Pete gave the helpful analogy of the way the Amish "Shun" those who've been cut off from the church...they are not permitted to do business, give rides to, or even shake hands with these shunned people. Not that we are to treat others like this, but that we are shun dark living like this. And finally, we are to fight darkness with light by exposing, or bringing into the light, that which is dark in our lives. In other words, by confessing it to another trustworthy Christian. The great promise here is that when we bring something that is dark in us into the light by confessing it to someone, it "becomes visible" and then, "anything that is visible becomes light." Eph. 5:13. This means God will actually take that which was darkness and transform it into light, or godliness in us! I have seen God do this hundreds of times. He is the only One holy and Powerful enough to take that which was meant for evil and turn it into good, both for us, and for His own glory. This is so provoking and encouraging. I hope you are encouraged today too, as I was yesterday, that God wants to make us "thoroughly godly" as we walk with Him, and that He will do it as we bring any dark ways in us into the light. God is so merciful and kind to do this. What hope there is in His word!

"Take me life and let it be, consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days, Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of thy love.
Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take my will and make it thine, It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is thy own. It shall be Thy royal throne.
It shall be Thy royal throne." (Frances R. Havergal, 1836-1879)