Tighten Your Belt
Today’s Verse:
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; ~1 Peter 1:13
I like my pants to be snug and secure at my hips and around my waist. I do not like to wear loose, sagging, or baggy pants. It is important that the belt I wear is tightened just enough so that my pants don’t sag. In Peter’s day, in order to keep from tripping on their outer garments, the men had to “gird up their loins.” They had to pull their outerwear up so that the bottom did not impede their movement and then tighten a leather belt at waist level to keep this garment from getting loose and tripping them up. Using this image, Peter is telling us the importance of tightening the spiritual rope around our heart and thoughts.
We must secure.
“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind....” We must tighten up our thoughts and what we process in our minds. We should set no wicked thing before our eyes. We should close our ears to anything foul, vulgar, or wicked. We must bring our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ. We must think only on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, and virtuous. We must discipline our minds on things that praise the Lord.
We must be sober.
People of that day got drunk on alcohol regularly. When a person is drunk, he is not himself. Soberness means we do not allow ourselves to be overcome by a controlling substance. We should not be caught off guard and led into temptation. We should be serious-minded. Being sober enables us to be ready to respond to the Lord promptly and readily.
We must be steadfast.
“Hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” We must be like Paul who said, “None of these things move me.” We are to be firm with resolve about finishing our race with joy. We are to be found walking in the light and not in darkness when Jesus comes. We should be always abounding in the work of the Lord. Be careful of drifting. Be careful of being double-minded. Be careful of getting discouraged and wanting to quit. Stay focused on being found faithful when Jesus comes!
We must submit.
“As obedient children….” Submission means to come under the rules of a commanding officer. We demonstrate that we are God’s children when we keep His commandments. The word keep means to guard (as guarding a prisoner), hold firm, and hold tightly to. When we rebel against God, we are out of fellowship. We demonstrate our love for the Lord when we keep His commandments.
We must separate.
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.” A holy life is a separated life. We must be separated from the world and its lust. We must abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. We must be separated from ungodly associations that can have a bad influence on us. In separation, we are to draw closer to the Lord, for in so doing, we are farther from sinful tendencies.
Gird up the loins of your mind. Tighten your thoughts, desires, convictions, practices, and friendships.
Have a disciplined God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: John 5-6