A Pause to Ponder God's Word
"Glued to the Good"

We were walking through the county fair enjoying the sights and sounds that accompany such an experience. As we walked along the crowded walk ways an interesting sight appeared before me. There were people dressed in some unusual coveralls running up to a spring board, leaping onto it and being catapulted onto a wall. When they hit the wall they stuck to it, suspended above the ground in whatever position their body was in when it hit. I moved closer. Close enough to get a better view, but not so close to be challenged by the barker to try it. I found that the wall and the coveralls were made of velcro. I am not sure which amazed me more, the velcro wall or the fact that people actually paid money to jump and crash into a wall! Possibly, the most amazing thing is that a Scriptural truth comes to mind as I think about this event.

Christians are instructed in Romans 12:9 to hate evil and cling to what is good. This verse comes to mind as I remember the people enthusiastically running and flinging themselves upon the velcro wall. Such should be the picture of a Christian who with horror runs from evil and lovingly flings themselves upon God and His mercy. I fear that with many Christians this is not the case. We flirt with evil. We see how close to sin we can get. Sin no longer frightens us. We do not look upon it with disdain, fear, horror. We do not abhor, hate it. It is often considering entertaining. We treat sin like snake handlers, thinking we can play with the snake and not get bit. But the mandate in this verse is very clear and very strong - hate was is evil! It should horrify us so much that we turn and run for our lives from it.

The mandate doesn't stop there. It continues, cling to what is good. The word used her for cling means to be glued or cemented securely to something. You might say we are instructed to super-glue ourselves to what is good. What is the good? Jesus answered this question when once approached by an individual who addressed Him as good teacher. Jesus responded, why do you call me good, only God is good. What is good? God is good. Therefore, we cling to God!

If we are ever to fulfill this commanded, our love must be sincere. That is why this verse begins with this directive. The word for sincere, found only here in the New Testament, is an interesting one. Its most literal translation is "unhypocritical." You would think that it is impossible for love to be hypocritical, but this verse suggest it is possible. Love can be divided, or self-serving. At least, human love can be. Agape, or divine love, is pure. Therefore, this verse is imploring us, Let your love be divine and pure, without hypocrisy. Only God can provide such a love. We do not attempt to conjure up such a love. That would be futile. Rather, we offer ourselves in total surrender to God so that He may fill us with His love. Then, by His grace we apply that Love to every aspect of our lives. Such as love as this is repulsed by evil and clings to the good.

Many years ago a woman of royalty was interviewing coachman to drive her horse drawn coach. There were three applicants. She ask each applicant one question and each the very same question. The first entered the room and she ask, Sir I am sure you are familiar with the dangerous curve on the precipice at the edge of town. Tell me please, how close can you come to the edge when rounding that curve? He answered, Why I could come within three meters of the edge. The second when ask bragged, why I could come within two meters. The third coachman replied when ask, I cannot tell you how close I could come madam, for I want to stay as far away from the edge as I possibly can. He was hired on the spot.

How close to sin can we live and still be a Christian? We should not want to know. Rather, we should want to stay as far away from there as we possible can. Let you love be pure. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good!

Keep Close To Jesus
Pastor Gerry


A Pause To Ponder God's Word is written and distributed by Gerald Whetstone, Ordained Elder and teacher in the Church of the Nazarene. These devotionals may be transmitted, duplicated, used in part or in entirety without permission for nonprofit purposes only. Responses welcome. To Subscribe Click Here.
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