"The Heart of God"

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear:" (1 Peter 3:15) As I was praying about this blog this morning, I could not help but think that our hope is in Jesus and not in ourselves. I am quite a piece of work sometimes, and that is not a positive statement, but one that describes something that is hard to figure out. However, my Father in heaven knows me inside and out; in fact, He knows me far better than I know myself: He even knows every hair that is one my head! Knowing how much He knows me, yet how He still loves me, I am amazed by His heart towards me. The word 'sanctify' that Peter is talking about in the verse above means to regard as Holy; to sanctify the Lord God in our hearts, is to separate what is Holy from that which is filthy or common; which is not an easy task to do while looking into our filthy hearts. Needless to say, we must do what Peter is instructing here, if we are to prepare our hearts for the next portion of instruction, which is 'to give an answer'. The hope that is in us is not something which should be shut off and on, like a light switch; however, that is what we have a tendency to do, not purposely, but out of ignorance of what is going on within our own hearts. The point I believe that Peter is making, by the direction of the Holy Spirit, is that the finished work of Jesus Christ must be made the dominating force within our hearts. And not just the dominating force, but it must also stand out as the overriding source for the hope that is within us. I know what you are thinking, Duh again! Yes, but, our hearts are not that obedient to do that task without some help from the Holy Spirit. This word 'sanctify' is also the same word that is used for a wife to sanctify an unbelieving husband. The unbelieving partner is set apart on account of the believing partner. The unbeliever comes under a special and direct spiritual influence and benefits from divine favor in the life of the believer. As long as there is contact, there is hope that the unbeliever will turn to faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, in such a marriage the believer is not defiled by the unbeliever, but the unbeliever is sanctified by the believer.