“May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Thess.5:23)
Heavenly Father, you began a “good work” in us you alone can and will complete. But (Hallelujah!) we’re not your challenging project; we’re your beloved children. You gave us to Jesus and you will make us 100% like him one blessed Day. We’d despair if this wasn’t the case, for the disparity between Jesus’ beauty and our brokenness is like comparing the Smith River in Montana to the dry creek bed near my house.
Whatever you do you do as the “God of peace”—including “sanctifying us completely.” This means you are very patient in the process of making us like Jesus. You don’t roll your eyes, show disgust, or get gruff or harsh with us. You “mercy us” daily,” “grace us” hourly, and love us “nanosecondly.” You are completely at peace with us, Father. Because of the Gospel we don’t have to live in doubt about what you think about us.
We will be wholly blameless and shameless at Jesus’ 2nd Coming because our lives are hidden in his, and Jesus is living in us as our “hope of glory.” We boast only in Christ-plus-nothing for our relationship with you. Indeed, our hope is built on nothing less, more, and other than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. On Christ the solid Rock we stand; in the ocean of your grace we swim; under your banner of love and loud singing we live (Song of Song 2:4, Zeph.3:17). Thank you, Father, times 10,000. So Very, Very Amen.
