Status Quo

         There is a term that a I have used that I started thinking about and ended up making it the central idea of a message recently.  The term is "status quo."  It has the meaning, "the current situation : the way things are now ."  When I go and visit many people and ask how they are, many of them reply, "same ole, same ole."  In other words nothing has changed but just keeps on going from one day to another, with nothing deviating.  We pretty much like it that way.  We would like it a lot if the "status quo" would remain constant and that there would be not change in our lives.  The appearance on earth in flesh of the Son of God disrupted the status quo of the time and we should be glad that it did.  You can see the change occurring in the Gospels when Jesus says His hour has not yet come and then in John 11 He makes the statement, "The hour has come..."  The "status quo" was about to be changed in such a dramatic way that the people were about to be amazed.  This final week, or the week of Passion as we might sometimes refer to it, was about to dramatically change the world.   Second Peter 3:17-18 says, "Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.   But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen."  What change is there in your life?  In fact, we may ask, is there any change in our lives or are we simply stuck in the "status quo?"  
       Peter reminded his readers at the end of this epistle that they were to be in the business of growing.  This is not referring to physical dimensions, but rather to the spiritual life.  Every January first, we come up with resolutions that will help us be a better believer but they often fall by the wayside in a month or two.  We, as believers, need to be growing every day in our knowledge and in our love for Christ.  We often sing the song, "More love to Thee" and then don't live up to the song.  How then do we continue in our growth?   In the sermon, I mentioned one of the churches in which I attempted to minister and whose theme was, "Scripture and Prayer to Conform us to the Image of Christ."  Those two basic elements are so important in the steady growth of the believer.  When the church or the individual believers forget that theme, their growth begins to wane.  Then  we soon find ourselves stuck in the "status quo" with no desire to change.  If you are finding yourself in the predicament, then pray for a change in your life.  May we all say, "The hour has come for a change in direction for my life" and then to covet to be in God's Word more each day and may we find ourselves in prayer.  Praise God today for always being there and for not giving up on us.