The Lodestar

We did not have a name for the game we played in the lake during school holidays; we might call it “water polo.” Someone flings a floatable object, like a dry stick, into the water, and the first person to swim and catch it wins. Then, the winner throws it farther than the other swimmers; the one who swims quickly to retrieve it wins again.

The game continues until we are tired, swim ashore, and build a small fire to warm ourselves. Striving is the effort to attain something that is otherwise unreachable. It involves intentional effort and determination.

Christian faith requires daily striving for higher spiritual goals, as the old hymn goes: “A higher plane than I have found, Lord plant my feet on higher ground” (Johnson Oatman, Jr., 1898).

Spiritual progress in Christianity involves striving for peace and holiness.

Peaceful relationships with others are the primary requirement for Christian spirituality. However, this can be difficult, since not everyone around us prefers peaceful relations; many enjoy conflicts and arguments. Peace does not happen automatically but must be actively cultivated through deliberate effort.

Jesus calls those who make peace blessed: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9).

Another challenge is to endeavour to lead holy or blameless lives before God. This can only be achieved if we prioritise God’s will. We will never reach the moral standards God expects unless we try and rely on His grace.

The Christian life is in constant motion, a race that we must “run with endurance” (Heb 12:1), fostering peace amid conflicts and growing in divine nature.

Ask yourself today: Am I actively striving for peace and holiness in my daily life? Choose one area where you can be a peacemaker—whether in your home, workplace, or church—and take a practical step toward reconciliation or kindness. Then, seek the Lord in prayer, asking him to strengthen your resolve to walk in holiness, relying not on your strength but on his grace.

(To receive these devotionals daily on WhatsApp, click here.)