Keeping and Being Kept
- Erika C. Burt
- 8 hours ago
- 4 min read
A Reflection for Tuesday, December 16 by Dr. Erika “Erie” C. Burt
Lectionary reading for 12/16/2025:Psalm 42; Ezekiel 47:1-12; Jude 1:17-25;
Selected passage for reflection: Jude 1:17-25
Read
Jude 1:17-25 The New American Standard Bible (NASB)
17 But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,18 that they were saying to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.”
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
22 And have mercy on some who are doubting; 23 save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.
24 Now to Him who is able to protect you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority before all time and now and [c]forever. Amen.
Reflect
“Don’t you be surprised…they said that this would happen.” Jude, one of the Lord’s half-brothers, wrote this to believers to help them be discerning and cautious in the Sitz im Leben (social and cultural context) in which they were living. In verses 17 - 19, Jude points out the ways deception and chaos were running rampant: he saw it happening live and in living color. About six decades after the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, folks had lost sight of the truth. Not only was faith under attack from outside pressures but also from those claiming to know Christ. Scoffers, mockers, and pleasure-seekers spread false teachings, lived fake lives, and led others to focus, selfishly, on sensual pleasure rather than godly purpose. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
In our context, we also face the dangers that sometimes arise from those who claim to be religious. Families are ripped apart by inhumane policies, people suffer from hunger as resources are removed, and massive job loss impacts certain populations. Even in our churches, at times we hear about untrustworthy ministers, harmful teachings steeped in ungodly political ideologies, and a lack of love. It can feel like scoffers, mockers, and selfish sensual seekers are still on the loose today.
But just as Jude called the believers of his day to persevere in the faith and to be discerning, his letter calls us to do the same and also tells us how. In verses 20 - 23, Jude says we are to build ourselves up in the faith and to pray in the Holy Spirit. We do this by spending time in God’s Word, with believers, and in prayer and meditation. These practices raise our spiritual antennas and help us discern truth from lies as we seek to follow God’s leading and direction. As my mother used to say, God will tell us “what to do, when to do it, how long to do it for, and who to do it with.”
Along with keeping ourselves in faith, Jude encourages us to keep ourselves in the love of God. We do this by remembering that God’s love for us allows Him to pour out His mercy on us. That is what is literally keeping us day in and day out as we live between the now and not yet. Jude calls us to extend that same mercy to those who may be struggling in the faith and to others who need to be saved from destructive paths. With tenderness and truth, we walk alongside those who need a lighter touch, and with others, trapped in sin, we are to be bolder. In fact, Jude says it’s like we are snatching (ἁρπάζοντες) them out of a fire (πυρὸς). Though he likely meant flames of judgment, the imagery of snatching someone out of a fire surely indicates rescue. Both tender touches and snatching rescues are actions rooted in love.
In verses 24 - 25, we see Jude end his letter with a burst of praise, a doxology, as he recalls God’s ability to keep us through it all. He reminds believers that not only is God able, but God uses His complete majesty and power to help us navigate the murky waters of our days and to present us as blameless before Him. He makes the guilty guiltless just as He ensures the blameless are proclaimed innocent. Surely, remembering this is enough to make anyone burst into praise.
Respond
Join me in praising God as we listen to He’s a Keepa (by Rodnie Bryant and the Christian Community Mass Choir).
Rest
Pause and take a slow, deep breath in, then release it gently, trusting that God is keeping you. Do this a few times, letting His peace fill every part of you.
About the Author
Dr. Erika C. Burt is the CEO of Burt and Morgan, LLC, where she helps nonprofit organizations and educational institutions pursue mission-aligned growth and become high-tech, high-touch, high-impact centers of excellence. She also serves as an Assistant Dean at a technology-focused research university, leading efforts that expand educational equity and access across technology fields. In addition to her work in higher education, Erika has served in a variety