spring HDs

So I am on a total roll. I definitely have strides where blogging is good for the soul. It's good for this soul of late it seems.

Well, the Spring Holy Days are fast-approaching. Five weeks before Passover. I can't believe it's almost here already. Every year, we are supposed to examine ourselves -- 2Cor 13:5 reads, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?" And 1Cor 11:28 says, "A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup." And there are tons of ways you can do it, many have been talked about in recent sermons from HQ and our local leaders' speeches. Among them: read through 1Corinthians and identify Spring Holy Day references. (I have never counted how many times Paul says, "leaven," but it is many!) Analyze the Sermon on the Mount and the Beattitudes and the armor of God in Ephesians 6.

I've decided to read through 4 chapters of 1Corinthians a day, take notes (like I am actually studying it...), and look for those Spring HD references. One I came upon yesterday is in chapter 3:14-15 -- If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Paul is talking to Christians, and the reference seems to be making it to the Kingdom. What's scary is that, despite one's declaration of being a Christian, his work, the elbow grease he puts into his life will determine the shape he's in when he gets there. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be dealing with 3rd & 4th degree burns when Jesus Christ returns. I'd much rather be ready to hit the ground running. I mean, really, let's get to work, people!

But if I honestly take a look at the quality of my spiritual life, how well I communicate with God and He does so with me through study, my material is probably not gold, silver and precious stone. It's more like wood or hay or straw, though I'd like to think it's more like earthen clay...somewhere in the middle. I say I am in the middle, riding the fence perhaps? Oh, that's even worse! Am I truly admitting that I am Laodecian? Ay.

I don't have the composure to divulge further. I can, however, be truly ready and willing to continue to find time to dig deep and take a good look in the mirror. The promise really is perfection, and that only when Jesus Christ takes His stand upon His return. I say, bring it.