Growing Young

Almost every material that is useful has gone through a purification process of some sort. Water is filtered and boiled. Crude oil is heated and run through a purification tower to separate the light hydrocarbons from the heavy. Gold ore is heated until the gold melts and then the dross must be removed while it is molten.


Peter wrote in his 2nd letter, "Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart." Sometimes you may feel like God doesn't want you anymore because of how filthy your soul is. You may have gone back to the pig pen and wallowed in the mud and then you look down, and there is no hiding what you've done. If we were God we would totally disown us. But God is not like us.


The Apostle Paul shared this poem with Timothy:

For if we died with Him,We shall also live with Him.
If we endure, We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
If we are faithless, He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.

Our God's love is so unlike ours that we find it hard to understand or accept. If He bought you once, you are His for all time. Sure you can live out of His will, and if you are, then you probably feel like God couldn't and won't use you. Well, God is faithful even if we are faithless.

Now, I don't know how God called you. Maybe you walked down the aisle after a sermon. Maybe it was in a concert where you saw your need for a Saviour. Maybe it was during a season of sickness or even the death of a close, dear friend. How did you respond to Him? If you cried out to Him for salvation, then you are His!

Well I have some good news! The gunk that gets all over our souls from sin can be reversed! Here's how:

• Obey the truth - this is like giving your soul a bath; but to obey the truth you must:
• Know the truth - Are you reading the Bible? Praying? Getting Godly Counsel?
• Be sober - (1Peter 1:13-14) Focus on pleasing Christ
• Holy conduct - "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
• Love others - Enemies, strangers, and friends (3 John 1:4-6; Matthew 5:44; 1 Peter 1:22)
• Soften your heart - "Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?"

Rich Mullins wrote a song called Growing Young, and in it he talked about how sin makes you old and weary, but God has a way of reversing the aging process in your soul.

I've been broken now - I've been saved.

I've learned to cry and I've learned how to pray,

And I'm learning - I'm learning even I can be changed,

And everybody used to tell me big boys don't cry,

Well I've been around enough to know that that was the lie

That held back the tears in the eyes of a thousand prodigal sons.

Well we are children no more we have sinned and grown old,

And our Father still waits and He watches down the road

To see the crying boys come running back to His arms,

And be growing young.

---Johnie