October 2, 2019
And every man that hath this hope in Him purifies himself, even as He is pure. 1 John 3:3
Two little girls were talking in school one day, and one said to the other, “I hear the school board is making an inspection of our school this week.”
The other girl’s desk was messy, so she said, “I’ll clean it up tomorrow.”
The first one asked, “But what if they come today?”
Her friend said, “You know, I think I’ll clean it up right now—and keep it clean.”
Since we are people who look for Jesus Christ to come at any moment, we ought to be living clean lives. For example, if you knew for certain that Jesus Christ were coming this afternoon, are there some things you'd get right in your life? Would there be someone you might call this afternoon and want to make up with before Jesus came? Would there be some literature in your home you'd like to get rid of? Are there some things that would change if you absolutely knew that this afternoon you were going to meet Jesus Christ?
You see, that's what John meant when he said that those who have this hope (that is, the expectation of the coming of Jesus) purify themselves.
What a motivation to commit ourselves to living a holy life, once we fully realize that at any moment we might meet Jesus face to face.
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”