Friday 22 September 2017

Psalm: Psalm 87

Background

Fans of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy willremember with affection the 'Total Perspective Vortex'. Thisingenious and terrifying device somehow manages to give anindividual a sense of themselves in the context of the universe.The effect is not good. To know how small and insignificant we areundermines our sense of self-worth and even our sanity. Peter'spurpose is similar but rather more constructive. If the end time isupon us and we are invited to live 'prepared and ready', then weneed to notice that all the things that consume our time, money andefforts are about to be destroyed. Because of this they shouldn'tmatter! And because they shouldn't matter you can lead a life ofholiness and godliness. Of course, such a warning could go theother way! 'Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die'. For Peterit doesn't work that way. These things will pass away but only sothat a new heaven and new earth shall come. The insubstantial andtransient now, with all its demands on our time and energy, will bereplaced with the substantial and eternal. What we thought was realfades away in the coming of the great reality, God.

In this new world "righteousness is at home" (v. 13). The holylife we are invited to lead is not only possible because the stuffand distractions of now are coming to an end, but is essentialbecause the holy life is the natural and appropriate life for thenew creation. Our prepared and ready stance as we live in the endtimes, is in fact a preparation and readiness for the beginningtimes of God's reign of love.

To Ponder

• What does a holy, Godly and righteous life look like in today'sworld?

• How might you live now in the light of God's promisedkingdom?

• What things that concern you now that might be described astransient or 'passing away'?