Selwyn continues to discuss the need for perseverance in our Christian walk – as we follow Jesus along the narrow path.

What he writes in the last half of today’s study is extremely important and I’ll repeat a lot of it here – so that the context is not lost.

“If you are a Christian then the Holy Spirit dwells within you to help you to become more Christlike. You may not be a disciplined or persistent person, but the Holy Spirit is.

Listen to this: ‘ … be confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 1:6 NIV). The Holy Spirit’s task is to produce within you the desire and power to train yourself to be godly. Your task is to co-operate with the Spirit. As you do, your natural temperament will want to come under His control. He will help you persevere. … He helps by providing the power. All you have to do is to provide the willingness.”

Our God provides the power because He intensely loves us; we provide the willingness because we love God with all our heart, mind and strength. You see, our desire to change, is tightly coupled to the degree that we follow, the first and greatest commandment; that is - to love our God.

Any comments?