Dear Sister: Letter from a Young Man
Today's guest post comes anonymously from a Coptic Orthodox young man to his sisters in Christ. This beautiful post reminds us all of our priorities in faith -- and how directly contrary those can be to our earthly worries. Enjoy!
My beloved sister,I write to you today overflowing with joy. I pray that by the end of this letter, you too can celebrate in this joy with me!In his epistle to the Romans, St Paul advises us of many things. I want to pull your attention to one particular piece of advice found in chapter 12.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1, 2 NKJV)
He's begging us to work on this. He wants us to be a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable. Remember in the Old Testament, when they would find a sacrifice to offer to God? It had to be perfect.
But if there is a defect in it, if it is lame or blind or has any serious defect, you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord your God. (Deuteronomy 15:21 NKJV)
We too, my sister, must be perfect. Not just unblemished, but as Our Savior tells us
Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48 NKJV)
So our perfection, should be like that of God. Remember, He made us in His Image, with the potential to be in His Likeness. Let us be a perfect sacrifice then!Let us live our lives so that we can please Him in every aspect of what we do. From the way we act, to the way we dress. From our attitudes, to our language. Let us be a perfect vessel, a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.Do not forget, that we are a living sacrifice. As we are victorious over death through the death of our Victor, Christ Jesus. So while it will never suffice, let us thank Him for giving Himself up for us.St Paul then advises us about not being conformed to the world. This, my lovely sister, is where I find that joy I mentioned earlier. Rather than being like the world, rather than being similar to everything and everyone around us, St Paul challenges us to be different. I too, challenge you to live a life away from the things of this world. Ask yourself, what do I do to conform? Many times its everything. Many times, we live our life to please others, and we lose track of who we’re supposed to be living for. Am I mistaken? Many times, our goals are for the eyes of the creation, and we bypass the Creator’s opinion.Renew your mind, sister, and live for Him. That joy is thus: that from today, I can live my life for Him, regardless of my past. Thats what joy we can wake up to every morning, and we should. Our Lord has allowed us to come back to Him today, no matter what I’ve done yesterday. He wants us to constantly be renewed, as that is His perfect will.April is just around the corner and it is known as a month full of showers, and flowers. In order for the beautiful spring to arrive, the land must endure the storms. While the rain pours, there is little that seems hopeful or promising. But with the water, the seeds become flowers that are able to grow, blossom, and bring about the fullness of their potential that God planned for them. You too, my dearest, must endure the trials of this life. God always has a plan for you, regardless of how you view what you are enduring. Our joy is in that hope and security with our future in Christ.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord , thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV)
He is the source of our joy. So rejoice! Be proud to be different, and transform yourself into a different person. ‘Take off the old man, and put on the new and superior one,’ as we pray in the midnight praises. Start fresh with Him today, who is always waiting for you with His arms wide open. May we live our lives as a perfect sacrifice for our Father in heaven, Who is Perfect.Best wishes in this season. Christ is Risen!!With love,your simple brother
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