Having A Passionate Life

     

     I can really relate to Peter.  No, I am not an apostle.  But, just as he was a man of passions, I am a woman of passions.

     His passion led him to say things without thinking.  His passion led him to chop off the ear of a man, to defend his Lord.  His passion led him to deny his Lord, three times.
     His passion led him to submit to his Lord, pastoring the first church.  His passion led him to exhort folks to holiness, rather than ungodliness.  He had so many passions!
     I, through passion, have said and done some pretty stupid, thoughtless things.  I have hurt people (not cutting off their ear, mind you), been selfish, angry, and more.  My passion has overruled intelligence many times.  God has also balanced my zeal with knowledge, for His glory.
     I loved reading 2 Peter this morning.  Each chapter flowed right into the next one.  Though only three chapters long, they were full with so much.  He exhorted them, taught them, warned them, and glorified God to them.  He did it all passionately, too, as he knew his end was drawing nigh.
     Speaking of the end drawing nigh, he reminded those believers that the end of the world draweth nigh.  What does that fact have to do with me, a simple housewife?  Well, it has a lot to do with how I function in the home.
     I can fill my time with lazy, vain activities.  Or, I can utilize the time the Lord has given me (passionately) as He continues being longsuffering with a lost world, to be profitable for Him.  I can be open to having guests in our home, sharing the love of Christ as I communicate with them (not necessarily opening up a  Bible study during our visit, but being a living witness for Him).  I can be the kind of wife He expects out of me, thus encouraging my husband to be the kind of warrior for Christ He wants him to be.  If we ever have children, my Biblical mothering of them can help lead them to Christ.  All the character trainings they get along the way, coupled with salvation, will make them mighty arrows for Christ!
     I can be on guard for what comes in and out of our home, both of substance or attitude.  I can nurture this home with the skills I have/am learning, to the glory of God and Dear; or, I can tear it down by bringing in/sending out garbage.  What comes in definitely comes out.
     Since what goes in to me comes out of me, I need to put in the Word of God.  I need to make sure what I read, listen to, to whom I listen, those with whom I frequently associate and receive advice, etc., all are pointing me the Gospel way.  Time is too short for me to waste it eating bon-bons all the time, watching vanity, reading vanity, entertaining vanity, living vainly, not thriving in the full-fledged ministry as help meet.
     There is no time off for such a calling.  I am a help meet 'til the good Lord brings us Home.  However I view my calling as daughter of God, wife to Dear, hopefully-future-mother-of-dearies, will cause a reaction/response from me.  If I view them as burdens, then I will do what I can to escape when I can.  If I view it as the blessed role of a lifetime, I will thrive in it and seek to never be removed from my post.
     By having the right attitude about my God-ordained ministry, I will help further the Gospel.  His light invariably will shine through me, as I live contrary to the way of the world.  There will be questions asked as to the why of my lifestyle, my attitude pertaining to it, and such.  All who enter our home, or those with whom I interact, will be touched some way by Christ; for, He will be shining through this mortal vessel!
     Oh, thank God for reading 2 Peter today!  What an exhortation for me, a keeper at home!  Though I may not go out to the front lines as does Dear, I can definitely keep the fortress ready and able to minister as necessary.  I can take comfort that it is never for naught, and do all I can to make the best of my ministry.

2 Peter 3

   1This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:

   2That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

   3Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

   4And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

   5For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

   6Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

   7But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

   8But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

   9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

   10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

   11Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

   12Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

   13Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

   14Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

   15And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

   16As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

   17Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

   18But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.