Tying Up Loose Ends
Today’s Verse
But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. ~1 Peter 4:7
“The End” is the conclusion of a book. It is the closure of a project, a race, a task, a term, or a life. For a runner, it’s the finish line. For someone on a journey, it’s when they finally made it. For a Christian, it is the fact that we are approaching eternity. We are to live our lives knowing that the end of all things is at hand. Let us see how we should “tie up loose ends” as the end is approaching.
We must be sober.
In Peter’s day, drunkenness was common among the men. Drunkenness indicates that you are controlled by a substance. When this happens, you do not think straight and your actions and speech are not normal. Being sober demands that we do not allow ourselves to be overcome by entertainment, pleasurable living, controlled substances, worldly friends, or wrong priorities. Being sober is living the rest of our time to the will of God (v. 2). Being sober is living with the mindset that today could be the last day of our life.
We must watch unto prayer.
Peter never got out of his thoughts that he fell asleep when he should have been awake in the Garden of Gethsemane. He never forgot that Jesus said, “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.” What does it mean to watch unto prayer? It means that we should pray without ceasing. It means that we should “pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.” It means our praying should be with importunity. We should pray for souls to be saved and open doors for communicating the gospel. We should pray for those who are against us. We should pray for strength for the journey. End times demand that we watch unto prayer.
We must have fervent charity among ourselves.
The believers Peter wrote to were absorbed with their own problems and forgot that other believers were facing the same trials. They needed to start thinking about one another and stop having self-pity. Knowing that we are approaching the end times, it is God’s will that we love and serve one another. We do this through acts of hospitality and kindness. Surprise another Christian by entertaining them and letting them know you want to be a blessing. We love one another fervently by using our spiritual gifts to build up one another. Our spiritual gifts are for the purposes of edification of the church and glorification of our Lord (v. 11).
We must have faith in God.
Peter said that we should commit the keeping of our souls to God. Have faith in God that there is good in everything that happens to you. Have faith in God that He will give you more grace. Have faith in God that He is a faithful Creator. Have faith that the sun comes up in the morning!
Tying up loose ends means that we need to tighten up how we live our lives. Live each day as if Jesus were to come or you were to graduate from this life into the blessed presence of our Lord. Identify the loose ends in your life and tie them up.
Have a sober God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Deuteronomy 17-20