Make Every Effort: Peter's Fervent PleasSample

Day 12: Peter’s Second Fervent Plea

“But whoever does not have them (all the qualities listed in 2 Peter 1:4-8) is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

So how can we confirm our calling and election? We know that we have all been called and elected to salvation because in the third chapter, verse 9, Peter says: “God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” And remember in John 3:16: “whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life.”

God gives us free choice which means that He lets us choose against Him even though it means ruining our lives forever and breaking His heart. Some complain about God’s gift of free will, thinking that if He is loving, He would make sure that we all get to go to heaven. But there is no such thing as true love without choice. Without choice, we would all be robots, and God gets no pleasure out of forced worship.

The gift of choice is one of the most precious gifts God gives us. He will not force our choice, or it’s not free. But if we are wise, we will embrace the love of Jesus Christ, repenting of our selfish ways, and running into the real eternal life He provided for us when He died in our place on the cross and then arose from the dead three days later.

The effort to confirm our calling is the most life changing thing we can ever do, and it is worth everything we are and all that we have. And confirming our calling is making sure that our life demonstrates what we say we believe. Our actions speak louder than our words, and only when our lives reflect the love and beauty of Jesus Christ, is there any power in our words. Nothing in this life can ever compare to the joy of being in God’s presence forever!

Reflection: Real life and light are attractive, and everyone wants to be around people who are loving, caring, and thoughtful, and who daily demonstrate the love of Jesus. What is your life telling those around you? Do they know by your life that you worship and adore Jesus Christ, or do you just fit in with everyone else? Is being like Jesus worth making every effort?