Wednesday Meditation

Good afternoon FPCE family,

This week I have another resource to share with you for devotions or individual prayer and reflection.  heartlight.org is a site that is full of options: articles, daily scriptural quotes, devotions, artwork, and more.  I was clicking around the site, and in their list of devotionals, one grabbed my attention called "God's Holy Fire," which they describe as a daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  Here is today's, titled "Made by the Holy Spirit."  Enjoy!

God's Holy Fire: 'Made Holy by the Spirit'
Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to God's elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
— 1 Peter 1:1-2 NIV

Key Thought
"Sanctifying work of the Spirit" sounds so formal and religious. Some translations put, "his Spirit has made you holy," but even that wording really doesn't capture the essence of the meaning for me. What I believe Peter is trying to tell us is that our souls were like an old stained rag we used to clean up messes in the garage. When the Spirit comes into our lives, he takes this stained rag, and he cleans it, makes it new, and gives it incredible value. Instead of being the rag for messes in the garage, it is now a beautiful, clean, white tablecloth normally used for special occasions, but to be shared in all its glory in daily life. The Holy Spirit of God takes our broken, stained, and battered souls and makes them clean, new, and valuable — not just for us, but for God. This concept is crucial, as evidenced by it being repeated several times in the Bible (Romans 15:16; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 10:29; 1 Peter 1:2).

Today's Prayer
Make me new, Lord God. Make me new and holy and valuable to you through the work of your Holy Spirit. Forgive and cleanse me, and make my heart and my life pure so I can bring you glory and live for your honor. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.