“In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
A Call to Readiness
The definition of revere is to feel deep respect or admiration for something. A few synonyms are to honor and esteem. If you noticed, none of those words are light and fluffy. They’re the exact opposite. They’re heavy and weighty. But not in a bad way.
Jesus, His glory, His presence carry weight. They can be felt. I have felt them.
I have felt the Lord’s presence in times of worship and in times of hardship.
In those times, He has felt so near.
In order to tangibly feel God, we must be attentive to Him. One of my friends said recently that as soon as we turn our attention to Christ, He is there. It’s not that He wasn’t there, but it is then He rests on us like He did for many in the Old Testament.
Preparation is a funny thing. In order to be prepared for something, you need to prepare for it. I never could have earned great grades in school if I never studied. God, in many ways, works the same way. He is so grand. He is always doing something new. He is never predictable. He is to be studied and known . . . every day, in every circumstance of life.
That is how we build intimacy and a flourishing relationship. God becomes Father, friend, and the love of our lives. Our love for Him only grows. Then we love to love Him and we love to share Him.
We want others to discover the hope and joy and peace we’ve found in relationship with Christ.
So, at any given time, we can share the truth of His nature. We can share about His goodness and grace in our lives with a beautiful ease. We can share with hearts of love and humility for others. It isn’t burdensome or stressful. We don’t have to muster up the right words to say. We need only to tap into our relationship with Him.
Are you prepared to give a reason for the hope you have in Christ?