2 Corinthians 7 & holiness

I have been reading 2 Corinthians and yesterday I found two passages which really helped me. They were:

v1 "Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."

and

vs 9-11 "...your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done."

The first verse is a particularly challenging verse "purify", "perfect holiness", "reverence for God" all massive things. Then the other passage spoke to me about godly sorrow and repentance. How easy it is to have worldy sorrow; to feel gutted that you've sinned because you've let yourself down and not because you've hurt God. Godly sorrow is a necessary, wonderful, positive thing because it leads to repentance which is also a wonderful, positive thing because it leads us to God.

Another great hymn

We sang this hymn in church tonight. I just had a search for it on the internet and apparently it was the hymn that was being sung as the Titanic finally went under. But anyway the second verse is particularly helpful for a wandering heart.

Saviour, look on Thy beloved, Triumph over all my foes,
Turn to heavenly joy my mourning, Turn to gladness all my woes.
Live or die or work or suffer, Let my weary soul abide
In all changes whatsoever, Sure & steadfast by Thy side.

Nothing will preserve my goings but salvation full and free;

Nothing will my feet dishearten but my absence, Lord, from Thee.

Nothing can delay my progress, nothing can disturb my rest,

If I shall, where'er I wander, lean my spirit on Thy breast.

William Williams

(we sang it to the tune of Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken, which incidentally is also the tune for the German National Anthem)