September 16

Morning

Through these He has given us His precious and magnificent promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. — 2 Pet 1:4 BSB

To be a partaker of the divine nature doesn’t mean becoming God. That is impossible. The essence of God is beyond human reach. There will always be an unbridgeable gap between the Creator and the creature. But, just as the first man, Adam, was made in the image of God, so we, through the renewing work of the Holy Spirit, are in an even deeper sense made in the image of the Most High and are partakers of the divine nature. By grace, we are made like God.

“God is love,” and by His grace, we become love. “He who loves is born of God.” God is truth, and we become true, loving what is true. God is good, and He makes us good by His grace, so that we become the pure in heart who shall see God.

Even more than that, we become partakers of the divine nature in a higher sense than we can fully grasp—almost as if we were divine, though we are not. Are we not members of the body of Christ Himself? The same blood that flows through the Head flows through the hand, and the same life that quickens Christ also quickens His people, for “You are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

And it doesn’t stop there. We are married to Christ, betrothed to Him in righteousness and faithfulness. “He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.” What a glorious mystery! We are united with Jesus in such a way that we are as inseparable from Him as a branch is from the vine.

As we rejoice in this incredible union, let’s remember that those who share in the divine nature must demonstrate this high and holy relationship through their daily lives. Let it be clear in our actions and speech that we have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. May we live in greater holiness each day!

Evening

Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that You must keep me under guard? — Job 7:12 BSB

Job's question to God, “Am I the sea, or a sea monster, that You set a guard over me?” seems strange at first. Job felt too insignificant to be so carefully watched and chastened by God. He wondered why God would treat him as if he were so unruly as to need constant restraint. It was a natural question for someone overwhelmed by immense suffering. But the answer is a humbling one. It’s true, man is not the sea, but he is often far more rebellious and uncontrollable.

The sea respects its boundaries. Though its limit is marked by nothing more than a strip of sand, the mighty waters do not cross it. No matter how violently the storm rages, the sea obeys God’s command. But human beings, filled with self-will, defy heaven and oppress the earth, and their rebellious rage seems to have no end.

The sea, obedient to the moon’s pull, rises and falls with perfect regularity. It not only responds passively but also acts in accordance with divine order. But man, who should be diligently active in his duties, often chooses laziness. He refuses to move when God calls him and runs in the opposite direction when God commands him to stay.

Every drop of the ocean, every ripple and wave, every shell and pebble, obeys God’s will without question. Oh, that our hearts were even a fraction as obedient to God! We call the sea unpredictable, yet it has been constant for generations, always where it’s supposed to be, beating against the same shores. But where is man—fickle, unreliable man? Even the wisest cannot predict where his next act of disobedience will lead. We are far more rebellious than the raging sea and in greater need of God’s watchful eye. Lord, rule over us for Your glory! Amen.