Wishing and Hoping

. . .and this also we wish, even your perfection. 2 Corinthians 13:9b

There is a lot of wishing and hoping that goes on in the world. I know some folks who spend a sizeable amount of money on lottery tickets wishing their numbers will come up. Some people are hoping they have an unknown uncle out their somewhere who will leave them a fortune, or in my case, a few hundred thousand acres in Montana.

And while I may wish for you a maturity of faith that allows you to flourish in the family of God, handle all of life’s difficulties with wisdom, and know overcoming victory in the struggles which we all face, that wish will never come to fruition without your assiduous commitment to God, His Word, and His family.

The beginning of wisdom is, according to Scripture, a “fear of the Lord” (Psalm 111:10). Paul says, “That I may know Him. . .” (Philippians 3:10). There must be within our heart and mind a sustained drive for relationship with our Lord if we are to ever reach maturity.

Maturity demands an endless search for Truth. Jesus said, “Your Word is Truth” (speaking to His Father, Jehovah, in John 17:17), and without it we can never know the revelation which moves us from being this world’s “mind numbed robots” (to steal a phrase) to people whose path through life is lighted by His clear and precise veracity.

And as much as some folks hate it, God has designed his people to be a Body (for an example, take a look in the mirror) with hands and arms, legs and feet, eyes and ears, working together to build one another’s faith, understanding, joy, and peace. We are no more allowed to exist alone in our spiritual state than your index finger is allowed to perform its task without the hand, arm, shoulder. . .well you get the idea!

Wishing is an intriguing day dream. Hope brightens our future and expands our minds toward the tasks that fulfill those dreams. Neither will bring us to “perfection.” Meticulous, industrious, careful, thorough, conscientious, careful concentration on consecration to God, His Word, and His family, will!

I wish that for us!