You Talk about a Crystal Clear Lake!

Skaneateles Lake is the easternmost of the larger finger lakes in New York state. Located only twenty miles from Syracuse, the lake provides millions of gallons of drinking water each day for the metro area's 3/4 of a million people. And here is what's so amazing about this ... the lake water does not need to be filtered before it is supplied to the area's residents!  As the photo shows, the water is so clean, both the federal and state governments have granted Syracuse a waiver for the requirement that all drinking water be put through a filtration system!  Now that's clean!

On our trip home from the finger lakes, we worshiped with a church family whose pastor is a friend of mine from both high school and college. His message included a couple of verses that reminded me of the pure waters of Skaneateles Lake. In his first letter, the apostle John writes, "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears,we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure" (1 John 3:2-4). Through John's words, God is teaching us that our hope of Christ's return is a powerful motivator to live a life of purity.  If we keep in the forefront of our minds this truth that Jesus is coming back (and I believe His return is imminent, that is, it could happen at any moment), then we will be more likely to be living in such a way that pleases him (John mentions this back in 1 John 2:28). Think about it. When Jesus returns, do you want to be caught by Him with your hand in the proverbial cookie jar of sin?

All of us would benefit by memorizing and then mediating on a verse or passage that talks about the return of Christ. He is coming back. You can count on it! 

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj