But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:18.

It is not enough that we become converted and enter the door to the Christian life. We must make progress. The attainment of the full stature of Christ is the greatest spiritual and moral adventure we can know. There is always the danger that, having taken the initial step into the Christian faith, we loiter by the roadside or we get sidetracked.

We cannot live from last month's meals. We are to read God's Word each day with delight, to feed on the preciousness of the truths found there. From time to time we feel distressed because we seem to get so little out of the Bible. We attend church regularly and believe that God is in this place, but we know it not as we ought to.

When I was a boy, I read in one of the schoolbooks the story of the measuring rod, a very remarkable instrument. The story was told as though the author had had a dream. In his dream, people were being called to account before God. As each name was called, the individual took his place beside the measuring rod. According to the moral and spiritual stature of his life on earth, he either grew or lessened in stature as he stood by the rod. The leader of the women's organization in the church seemed to have a lot going for her. She was busy its good works, but when she stood beside the rod she shrank to a small size. The old cobbler who never made much impression on people, a humble man given to love for others, grew to a great stature. A young man, good in sports, popular in school, voted the one most likely to succeed, did not rate very high. So it went. Finally the man relating the dream took his place beside the rod. He held an important position in the world but he felt himself shrinking in size. He cried out to the angel to give him one more chance to grow up into Christ, and according to the story it was given him.

Are we really persuaded of the urgency of the spiritual life? Do we give the best of our time, thoughts, and energy to permit Christ to grow upon us and into us? We who walk with Christ will assume the stature and image of our Lord. We grow if we really desire to grow.