(Connecting Advent and Holiness)
The church (the bride) is being made ready for our great presentation to our Lord Jesus Messiah. This is being accomplished through the work of sanctification. “So that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27 ESV). We must not see sanctification as our individual growing piety; we must see it as the work Christ is doing in us making us ready for our grand union. We can consecrate, but He alone can sanctify. We can surrender our all to Him, but we will still need the cleansing fire of Jesus, our Altar.
Oh Lord Jesus, please bring Your cleansing fire in my life to burn away everything in me that is not like You. Amen!
