When our son, Daniel, was a youngster, we spent hours playing the Super Mario Brothers videogame. The game is a quest to rescue Princess Peach Toadstool from the evil villain, Bowser. The players run, jump, and bounce their way through different levels until they meet Bowser face to face on a bridge over a lake of lava. If they defeat him there, they can enter the dungeon and free the princess.
Daniel was more successful than I was in this game (and all the others we played too). Nevertheless, after much failure and many “GAME OVER” endings, I eventually sent Bowser into oblivion and triumphantly entered the dungeon. My quest was complete and the princess was free, but the results were short-lived. When I reset the game, she went back into captivity.
Along with that minor quest of freeing the princess, God has blessed me to complete some more significant ones. I graduated and found a good job, and I married the love of my life (thankfully, that was a jointly pursued quest!)
However, there are many more that seem never-ending, and, at times, don’t have a clear objective. I am searching for what it means, and striving to be, a good: husband, father, grandfather, church-member, and brother to others in my life. While “good” is the part that is not always well defined in my mind, I do know where I should be headed. These quests all relate to learning and obeying God’s Word, and can be summed up in the Grand Quest that the Lord has given us:
“but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16 NKJV
Now that’s a quest to stand in awe of! We’re supposed to be holy: set apart, different from the world around us, pure. Regretfully, there are quite a few times during my days when that’s not the case – either in word, thought, or action (or the lack thereof).
The Bible teaches that we won’t reach that perfection in these mortal bodies. But, while it is a daunting task, it’s not impossible to get closer to it every day. It’s possible to make progress because we are not alone in the quest – God has sent the Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen us. “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” 1 John 4:4 NKJV
When we consider our weaknesses, we may believe this quest is never-ending. However, we can be assured it will be completed – not through our own strength, but because Jesus paid the price for our sins. In Heaven, we will be presented “faultless (holy) before the presence of His glory, with exceeding joy” Jude 1:24 NKJV.
Finally, we know it won’t be temporary. There is no reset button that sends us back into captivity. We will eternally be with God, and more fully understand that it was not our quest at all – it was the Lord carrying us along in His quest to bring all His children home.
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This post is part of the Christian Writers blog chain. Our theme for this month is “Quest”. Please see the list to the right and visit my friends’ blogs to see what they have to say about this topic.
I Was Thinking the Other Day About... 
Thank you for sharing your quest. This is an excellent post!
Terrific post, Bill. Glad to have you with us in the blog chain. 🙂
It’s comforting to know that, unlike the old Mario games, a mistake doesn’t necessarily send us back to Start to repeat everything we did up until that point. God’s forgiveness often means we simply start fresh from the point of our straying. I’m grateful for that.
I loved Mario brothers, thanks for the trip down memory lane. Awesome post! I feel spiritually thirsty to be closer to the Lord and to be like Him. Loved the verse in 1 Peter. Enjoyed the read and it makes me want to draw closer to Him.
Thank you for this post, Bill.
It took me years not to giggle at the idea that I’m a “saint.” Holy? Me? Not because of anything I’ve done (or not done) but because of what Jesus did and how he now sees me.
It’s certainly cool! Hang in there, Bill–and all of us–God’s a-workin’ and will see us through to completion. Yay, God! Thank ya’ Jesus!
Excellent Post. This is a great reminder to strive towards holiness while unserstanding that the goal will not fully reached until we are with Him. This confounds unbelievers. because we often look like such hipocrites because the sin nature is still present in us even after conversion. By living by the Spirit we have acccess to the power to live a godly life.
Excellent post – an I am very grateful that there is no rest button that sends us back into captivity! Hallelujah!
Wow, Bill! Amen! Loved this post! Every word. To be holy, because He is holy is indeed “a quest to stand in awe of!” Joining you in that quest this year and every year. There could be no greater quest than to seek the Face of God, to know His holy Presence, to dwell in the House of the Lord forever. God bless!
Thanks to you all for such gracious comments. I’m glad the post helped us all think about our good and gracious God.
Great post. We sometimes lose sight of the fact that we are all called to holiness. Also, welcome to the Chain Gang. Peace and Blessings
Thanks E G – I’m glad to be in the chain gang (it’s a rather daunting task though!)
Thanks for reminding me of that verse 1John 4:4. I pray that I can find it again when troubles come my way. The Holy Spirit always has a better way out of trouble if I can just remember “who ( HE ) is greater in me” when I am angry, tired, impatient, worried, thinking of self only, and all the other times I am sinning. I thank God for the new beginning I have in Him everyday and for His forgiveness everyday! God help us all to shine a light that is pleasing to You. Much prayer is needed!
Thanks Harriett – Amen!
Great line…”it was not our quest at all – it was the Lord carrying us along”!
Thanks Chris
Beautifully said, Bill. It’s because of Him we make it anywhere.
I used to play Mario, Zelda, etc., with a few of our younger family members.
Memories. 🙂
Deborah – thanks for the kind words. I know I struggle to “carry” myself along until I realize I have no power to do that – only God can do that.
Zelda was my favorite!
Bill, thank you so much for this honest reminder of holiness and being defined as being “not like the world” It’s seems like a daunting task, but really it is so simple we often time miss the whole point. We are new holy creatures in Christ Jesus. We can’t add or subtract anything from what He has done for us. I need to remind myself of those words daily so I can remember I have been redeemed from sin and the power of it. Hallelujah!!
Thanks Terrie! I appreciate yours and all the others’ thoughts and comments.
How many times have I caught the devil with his hand hovering over the “reset” button, grinning wickedly, threatening to send me right back into captivity? Too many times to count. And I’ve believed him too many times in the past, too–until I realized that the threat itself was the only captivity he could suffer me to endure. Once I understood it was an empty threat, THEN I truly became free.
Thanks for a fitting illustration that was good for provoking some thoughts like this. Great stuff!
Thanks Scott – I’m glad it gave you some thoughts like those!
Awesome post Bill.
1 Peter 1:15-16 is a great summation of the call (or quest) of God on our lives. I like the way you say that even though we will not reach the destination in this life, we can still move closer each day.
My post will also make reference to computer games in relation to the word Quest.
Thanks for the gracious comments Adam – I’ll check yours out
Really good post Bill.
We all quest after the bequest, the holyness, that we’ll find when we exchange the confines of the physical for the unboundaried, eternal, spiritual.
Thanks Keith, and Amen!
Oh my! Thank you SO MUCH for this post. It really touched my heart in encouragement and determination, something that I really need these days. Thank you, thank you, for the hope and strength of this reminder. What a blessing….
Nona – I am so thankful it touched you and was helpful – that’s what I think this is all about. I believe the Lord has many reasons for leading us to write, and I believe one reason He helped me write this post was so that you could read it today. Glory to God, and God Bless.
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Great post, and nice choice of verses. I like this line, too: “There is no reset button that sends us back into captivity.”
Thanks Michael – I appreciate it
Very inspiring, Bill!
Thanks, Christine. Glad you enjoyed it.