November 12

placed His seal on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a pledge of what is to come. — 2 Cor 1:22 BSB

A life lived in earnest—what a rare and glorious sight! We see it in the Son of God, in His apostles, and in every noble, consecrated, and truly successful life. Without such intensity of purpose, even a thousand good works lack the golden thread that binds them into a chain of lasting power and impact. They are like a pile of precious beads on a broken string—beautiful, but scattered and lost because they lack the unity and purpose that could bind them together into something meaningful. Oh, for the baptism of fire! Oh, for lives driven by a single, all-consuming purpose! Oh, for the depth and strength of Christ’s heart within us—to love, to sacrifice, to endure, to persevere, and to live and die like Him!

We are sent forth with a sacred trust,
And a message so divine,
With a clear and glorious purpose,
And a charge that’s truly mine.
Let it be your highest joy, my brother,
That the Lord can count on you;
And when all others fail and falter,
To your trust be always true.