Monday, July 23, 2012

Salvation draws near

From today's reading:  Love does no wrong to a neighbor. . .  For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers. . .  the night is far gone, the day is near.  Romans 13:10a, 11b, 12a

I'm not sure where I'm going with this - but these were the things that spoke to me this morning.  I am reminded of the lawyer who asked Jesus, "who is my neighbor?"  And I remember that he wasn't entirely satisfied with the answer Jesus gave him.  The lawyer wanted to restrict this neighborliness to only those people he liked.  Jesus' answer was much broader than was comfortable for the man; very inclusive as we would say today.  

It is in stretching out, past the bounds where we feel comfortable that salvation really does begin to draw near.  As we live more and more into that love that God wants us to share, we do draw nearer to the salvation that God has for us.  As we follow our Lord Jesus Christ more closely, the day does draw near.  And that reminds me of one of my favorite hymns -       

     God is working his purpose out as year succeeds to year;      
     God is working his purpose out, and the time is drawing near;      
     Nearer and nearer draws the time, the time that shall surely be      
     When the earth shall be filled with the glory of God           
          as the waters cover the sea.       (#534, The Hymnal 1982)

God is working his purpose out and that purpose is to cover the earth with his glory.  Each time we accept someone new, each time we extend out 'neighborhood' by accepting others as they are, God comes closer to accomplishing his purpose through our faithfulness and that eternal daylight does indeed draw near.

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