Growth is a natural part of growing up! The Lord wants us to grow up…to feed on Him and get growing!
Ephesians 4:15 "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ."
Col. 1:10 "And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God."
II Thess. 1:3 "We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing."
We should prepare ourselves for growth. Many of us just sit around thinking somehow it will just happen. When we are not prepared, disaster happens. When difficult days come, if you are not prepared, your immaturity and lack of growth may become a real problem.
106 years ago today, (April 15, 1912) the Titanic sank. 1517 people lost their lives. But it didn’t have to happen. There were only enough lifeboats for half the people. The crew was not prepared. They thought the ship was unsinkable. For the first time in history the new SOS emergency signal was used on the telegraph. But help did not come for over an hour. Those who had survived in the water soon died from the frigid temperature. No one was prepared. In addition to that, The ship’s builder, the White Star Line President Bruce Ismay jumped into the last life-boat even though there were still women and children aboard. Hypocrisy, envy, deceit, pride was still rearing its ugly head as the Titanic sang.
There’s a lesson in that for all of us here today. Be prepared. Get rid of the selfish sinful practices that harm your life and feed on the good that brings salvation, not disaster.
"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him." (Psalms 34:8, NIV)