when it jumps at you

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His glory and goodness. through these, He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." -- 2 peter 1:3-4(NIV)

can you even begin to fathom this verse? God's divine power has 'given me everything (i) need for life..." it just hit me this morning when i was reading this verse. i am trying to kickstart my devotional cycle again, using selwyn hughes' everyday with jesus. for july/august, mr hughes will be dealing with God's Greatest Guarentee. he mentions about hoping to meet his readers at their level. one reason why i think this time i will finally be regular is because he is meeting me at mine. it has been so long since a verse from the Bible last jumped at me this way.

you know God is doing His thang when things like that happen. the verse goes on to say that 'for this reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love." (2 peter 1:5-7) i just felt so enlightened at that instance.

"for if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. but if anyone does not have them, he is near-sighted and blind and has forgotten that he as been cleansed from past sins." -- 2 peter 1:8-9

when God chooses to reveal, He does so confident in the knowledge that you would respond. and accept the harsh truth. and when he chooses to shock you with negative things about yerself, so that you would finally get cracking on becoming more like Him, He does so only when He knows you are ready for it.

but as he unravels crude truths about you, he will also nurse your hurt and grief. your pain. you have a right to grief. but do not dwell on it. that's self-pity. moving on. while he un-does the unstable foundations on which you have based your life on, he will fill it with goodness and build you up again. it may be a painful, long process. but you will be just glad at least you got started. at least you know you have a problem and are dealing with it.

ah. the beauty of the Word. the sweet goodness of God. that in times like these, He is everything to me.