The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins…. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:7-8, 10 (NIV)
We know that the end of all things is near. As we seek to see highly resistant people across the world come to glorify God, we must not rush off in a panic. Peter tells us to instead be clear minded and to pray.
We make different decisions when we know our time is short. A husband and wife who are arguing say unkind words. The next day, he gets into a car accident, and he is gone. If they had known it was their last evening, they would not have argued, or if they did, they would have resolved it.
There are many ways of resolving a dispute, but the quickest one is always to forgive. That’s what Peter says. If you have the sense that your time is short, you can choose to love, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
And since time is short, every Christian must use the gifts he or she has received from God for the purposes He has given. God has a place for you in the ministry of the body, and the body has a limited amount of time to do its work.
When the whole church sees that the time is short, when that bears in on our souls and we believe it, then we will get praying, loving, and serving, and who knows how many highly resistant people will one day thank God that we did.
Knowing that the time is short, how could you plan to do more praying? Loving? Serving?
