Devoutly serve in godliness
Heavenly Father,
keep your church in continual godliness,
that, through your mighty protection,
it may be free from all adversities,
and devoutly serve you in good works,
to the glory of your name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Our church is in battle, and today's collect is not for the fainthearted but for those ready and willing to clothe themselves with the full armour of God to face and fight adversity.
We battle by prayer and action, contending not only for our church, but as the church of our Heavenly Father. We pray at all times in every occasion in the Spirit, as the bride of our faithful, all powerful bridegroom, Christ alone, clothed with his righteousness alone. We take up the shield of faith, and buckle on the breastplate of righteousness as we are preserved, protected, and perfected in increasing beauty through our battleground serving. We launch into battle, secured in our union with Christ. This is our joy, strength, and certain hope of victory, knowing from new-birth to eternal resurrected life, through times of peace and adversity, we are in Christ.
As the world around hears our battle cry, they hear the proclamation that we belong to God as his children and bride and we are here to devoutly, and devotedly serve his purposes until the day we behold him face to face. This is the continual godliness of the church, accomplished for the glory of God alone, by his powerful and gracious work in us alone, and in the name of Christ alone.
All our acts of service are offered as the fruit of our devotion and sincerity of faith, all devoutness is clothed in the righteousness of Christ, and received with pleasure by our Heavenly Father who alone receives all glory. This is true living to God. This is true godliness and for this we plead in the collect.
So we take up the shield of faith, pleading to be free from all adversities coming to us from our own sin, the world, and the devil. We pray and act, building God's church as Nehemiah rebuilt the wall, remembering God fights for us as we labour on, swords ready at our sides to fight opposition. We press on devotedly and devoutly serving the saints in the good work of preaching the good, faithful doctrine passed down to us, in the good works of holding fast to truth and knowing nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified as we confront diverse dangers and threats, confronting false gospel teaching, laxity, lethargy, and compromise in following Christ, and contend for true godliness. Ceaseless, unending devotion for God must compel us to speak, to act, to serve in the name of Christ and the sake of his bride. If we discern reticence, may we examine our hearts to question our true love and motivation.
May we pray for continual godliness in the spirit of semper reformanda (always reforming) acutely aware that our Anglican community faces as necessary a battle as the Reformers did in preserving biblical doctrine leading to true devoted living for the glory of God. Surely there is no better disposition of heart or frame of mind more fitting to the ambassador of God than one compelled in thinking, speaking, and living by a supreme devotion to the glory of God.
It is all “to the glory of his name” — our God who holds his church in Christ continually; our God, against whom the gates of hell shall not prevail; our God to whom we pray in faith, with fervency as we face the future, for his glory alone, held in Christ alone.
So pray this with me:
Heavenly Father,
keep your church in continual godliness,
that, through your mighty protection,
it may be free from all adversities,
and devoutly serve you in good works,
to the glory of your name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.