Stand Firm

Meditation

Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. Do everything in love.

(1 Corinthians 16:13-14)

Why are we supposed to be alert, what are we watching for? Since the very beginnings of the Church of Christ in the first century, the followers of Jesus have been expecting his return. It’s not escapism, as some nonbelievers will claim. He told us he’s coming back, and about the signs to look for, so that’s what he wants us to do. We should always be on the lookout for the signs of his coming and be on guard, standing firm against false doctrine. There are many wolves prowling around trying to devour those who are weak in their faith. We must reject the false teachings of those wolves. However, we cannot resist a falsehood if we don’t strongly demand in the truth. The truth is found in the Word of God.

The original language translated to – ‘be courageous’ – literally means to ‘act like men.’ Of course, this passage is speaking to all believers, men and women. We are equally responsible for our actions and how we are perceived by the unbelievers around us. As followers of Christ, does being courageous mean, we follow all the stereotypes society has about what it means to be a man or woman? Are we, as men, allowed to weep at the death of someone close? As women, are we allowed to hold and express strong opinions or just be meek and mild? Will society deter us from acting, being, and sounding like Jesus? Society used to deter me. I thought being a believer was a sign of weakness I wasn’t going to subject myself to.

By acting like men and women of Christ, we rely on him to give us the strength to find our way in this world. He has already shown us what we’re supposed to do, but our ability to be like him rests on the love we show for those people we will encounter. If we only show love to those who are sitting with us in church, what good is that doing for the lost? We should also love the people who are the hard ones to love. We have all sinned and fallen short of the righteousness of God. The fate of every unsaved person we know may rest on a simple act of loving kindness we show. Remember, when we do for someone out of love, other unsaved people may observe and respond to God’s call because of that. Our actions are worth more than our words. Don’t just tell people you love them, show them you do.

Prayer Time

Dear God and Father, we bow before you in awe and humility. You love us without condition and know our every word and deed. Keep us vigilant for your return and give us the words and ability to warn others. We know Jesus is coming soon, so we want to always be prepared. We are standing firm in our faith and will not be swayed by anyone’s silly new ideas. We will be courageous in defense of scripture and the truth contained therein. Help us, Lord, to be strong when we face persecution. We know they will always hate us because they hate you, so don’t let us falter when forced to deny or proclaim you as Lord and Savior. Holy Spirit give us the words and deeds that will lead our persecutors to the truth of your love for them. Lord when we see a brother or sister slipping into something sinful, help us to lovingly help them back into your will. If we are approached by brother or sister warning us of our own slip into sin, help us to receive their correction with love. Never let us forget your love for us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen!