Magdy Samuel

Serialized Articles From:
"Peace amid Pain"

Last Published Devotions

The Treatment through three verbs
Second verb: Gird (1)

“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober” (1Peter1:13).
You might have received salvation, but you could still be sad and cannot overcome your pains, then here comes up the second treatment within the verb “gird up” the loins of your mind, be sober; for sometimes our mind gets distracted and may also defiles; for that, the Apostle Peter writes on the “mind” in his second epistle: "Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds) by way of reminder” (2 Peter 3:1) Apostle Paul also spoke about the “mind” saying: "Be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2); Satan will seek advantage through our mind, for that, the Apostle Paul warns us saying "Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:12).

The verb “Gird up” in this verse comes out with two meanings; the first is: gather up your scattered thoughts; do not let your mind be distracted and scattered in many things but unite your thoughts. The writer says: "He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8) while: "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).

Brother, if you are a double-minded man and uncertain between God and the world, Satan will be able to influence your mind and thoughts thus you will be unable to tolerate your pains for he will disarm you of your peace and joy. Focus your eyes on God and His word that refreshes your mind, and gird it up so that you could trample on the honey of the world and all its inducements and also its pains.

The Apostle Paul was able to bear and overcome his pains and said "For to me: 'to live is Christ' and to die: became a gain" (Philippians 1:21); life for him has only one aim that he looked for: which is, Christ and His Glorification either through life or through death. For that he said also "One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead” (Philippians 1:13,14).

He did only one thing and life for him was only “Christ” nothing else. He never looked back to the past with all its pains and troubles but he forgot it and has put his hope in God who never changes, not in people who might misjudge him, abandon him and fail him. When forsaken by all, he never lost his peace but said: "At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them? But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me.” (2 Timothy 4:16,17).

Therefore dear reader, concentrate in one thing only: should your hope in Christ be going together with your hope in the world and what in there; should God’s salvation be precious to you but going parallel with mammon and the world in your life , then you will not be able to overcome your fears and pains, because: "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24).

Magdy Samuel