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Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:2-3

We believers are each members of the family of God. We have brothers and sisters around the world. Our churches exist amid sister churches that are spread all over the planet. We are part of something bigger than just ourselves. We are the redeemed of the Lord who are brought into relationship with one another under His Lordship, and are called to work together for the advancement of His Kingdom. We do not stand alone. We stand in fellowship with our brothers and sisters around the world to give a witness to the goodness and grace of God.

Sometimes it is a simple thing to remember this. Often the family of faith shows its gracious and gentle side, and we sense the common love and compassion from Christ that we share with one another. But it is not always this way. Sometimes the family of faith can be difficult, frustrating, and disappointing.  Instead of feeling the family love of God, we often feel the sharpness of unkind words, threatening acts, and judgmental accusations.

But the Lord calls us to do the same and to be the same regardless of whether our spiritual family is easy to live with or not. We are to be “completely humble and gentle” and “patient.” It is interesting in the German translations that these words can share the same root - Mut¸ or courage. “Mit aller Demut und Sanftmut (”soft-courage”), mit Langmut (”long-courage”)” is the way the Elberfelder Bibel translates this - literally, humility, soft courage, and long courage. In the Greek there is no connectedness between roots of the three words used, but it still gives helpful insight into the application of this command in our lives.

Courage is that ability from within that is able to go forward in the face of discouraging circumstances. It takes a type of courage to be gentle and patient with people who are not gentle and patient toward us. It requires us to look beyond the outward circumstances and see the heart of God and His love for people, and to act toward them on that basis, and not on the basis of how they have treated us.

The goal is to keep the bond of peace, to preserve the unity of the Spirit of God among the people of God. Today, might this simply be a reminder to us each, a means to encourage us all, that if we feel like giving up on a brother in Christ, if we are discouraged in our sense of unity of the family of Christ, might we each lean on the strength of God and not react according to the desires of our sinful natures? Now is the time to exercise “soft-courage” that goes another mile with an unkind and difficult brother or sister. Today is the day to exercise “long-courage” that can see past the circumstances and see the potential in the mind of God for His children.

And if we will think, I believe we can all remember a time when someone did as much with us - when someone loved us when we were not very lovable.

BLOG: pastor's blog, Evening Devotionals family of God, fellowship

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief… since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.

2 Peter 3:10-13

The presidential election of the United States has just ended a few hours ago with the re-election of President Barak Obama. Many of my friends have been involved on both sides of this political battle - admittedly, more opposing Obama than supporting him - but today is the day to access just how much the election of any earthly political person truly means. In Romans 13:1-7, 1 Tim. 2:1-4, and 1 Peter 2:13-14, Christians are called to respect and to pray for those in government, to uphold them before the Lord. These words of Paul and Peter were almost certainly written during the days of Emperor Nero, one of the most evil Tyrants in history, so our opinion of those in power has no bearing on this command.

Under the inspiration of the Spirit Paul wrote, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority” (1 Tim. 2:1-2). This means we have an obligation to pray for and to thank God for those in power. Just as our worship is to be expressed in faith, guided by His Word, so we should thank God for elected officials, even for those we did not vote for. This is done in faith, in obedience, and as a worshipful response to Him, bowing our hearts before Him.

Yet there is something else to be noted in the matter of political things: the temporariness of this world. One friend who has supported my ministry told me that during the presidential election he was going to re-direct his funds to help support a candidate to oppose Obama, and for more than a year he has given a considerable amount of money to political causes, money that previously went to support Christian work.  I believe my friend made a poor choice. There is nothing wrong with supporting political causes - not at all - but politicians are unable to bring the true change that human hearts need. People need Jesus more than new government programs.

Our text above from 2 Peter teaches us of the temporariness of this world. All that will endure for eternity are the souls of people and the Word of God. Even the Constitution of the United States of America, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence, along with the precious and historical writings of every nation and government, will all pass away. They are temporary at best.

God calls us to look into eternal realities, to let Him be our foundation. I like the Phillips Translation on this passage:

In view of the fact that all of these things are to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be? Surely men of good and holy character, who live expecting and earnestly longing for the coming of the day of God. True, this day will mean that the heavens will disappear in fire and the elements disintegrate in fearful heat, but our hopes are set not on these but on the new heavens and the new earth which he has promised us, and in which nothing but good shall live.

So let me encourage us with God’s Word: He has promised eternal life not in this world, but in the world to come. Everything purely political and economic that is achieved in this world will eventually pass away, but the one who believes in Christ and seeks to live for Him lives for eternity.

BLOG: pastor's blog election, eternity