Thought for April 9th. “LET THOSE OF US WHO ARE MATURE

Today’s readings.. (Numbers 26), (Proverbs 18), (Philippians 1,2)We live in a world in which most of us are bombarded by information on all sorts of things, these include persuasive messages to spend money in acquiring or doing this or that allegedly desirable thing.  Very little, if any of this is of value in leading us toward greater spirituality: indeed, more often than not it will lead us in the opposite direction. Our thoughts followed along these lines as we read Paul’s words of thanksgiving and encouragement to the Philippians.  Paul said, “One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Ch. 3 v.13 onwards)  It is impossible, except for the elderly in a home, to ‘forget’ the world!  The difficulty to “press forward” has never been greater!  Paul continues, “Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.  Only let us hold true to what we have attained.”  What have you attained?What a challenge this world is for those just starting or about to start on the pathway to attain heavenly citizenship. Paul laments about those whose “minds are set on earthly things” [v.19]  His next words are powerful, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body …”  Politicians are clamouring with ‘puffery’ words to get us to vote for them, but we have the. only true citizenship – and just one candidate – and we wait for him to take his power and reign. Let us fix our eyes on him as “the sea and the waves” of the 21st Century foam and roar and there is “distress of nations in perplexity” (Luke 21 v.25)With Christ in the vessel we will smile at the storm!  But what of those who are not mature? Let us cull some words from the 5th chapter of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians. “ … the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night … let us keep awake … we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith … encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all …pray without ceasing … may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. [v.2,6,8,1417,23,24]” Those “who are mature” today have a great responsibility.