Verse of the Day 1/19

Verse of the Day 1/19

1 Peter 1:13  Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.    English Standard Version (ESV)

We've been considering how important it is to carve out time to spend with God in prayer and His Word.  It doesn't matter if you find that time at the beginning of the day, before everything gets going or at the end of the day as things are winding down, the important thing is to spend that time so that the things that you are learning will be remembered, brought to mind throughout your day and guide your steps your actions through the day.

In keeping with today's verse from 1 Peter, we are "preparing our minds for action".  We're not learning for head knowledge, but we are to be "sober-minded" to think clearly about the day ahead "setting our hope fully on the grace" that will be given to us to achieve His purposes.  I like the way The Message paraphrase puts it, "so roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear" and go out and face the day with it's  challenges in the grace that Jesus Christ will provide.

That preparation, the rolling up of your sleeves is grounded in faith and the hope of His grace.   James MacDonald writes that "The energy to live the Christian life is found in one place—in our focused, conscious choice to put our hope in Jesus. Hope is the confident expectation that something better is coming tomorrow."

Take the time, make the time to "let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life,"  The Message

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

1 Peter 1:13-16The Message (MSG)

A Future in God

^13-16 So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that's coming when Jesus arrives. Don't lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn't know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, "I am holy; you be holy."