The Holy Spirit’s job is to manifest Christ in us: To change
our natural virtues, our natural traits, qualities, and characteristics, from
our Self-nature of the seed of Adam to His Divine-nature of the seed of Jesus.
The Spirit is a master craftsman, not a cobbler. He never just patches up our
natural virtues with a little bit of Christ sprinkled here and there. “You
shall be perfect”: There is no ambiguity about our need for spiritual maturity…
no wiggle room here! The Son said it, the Father commanded it, and the Spirit
will execute it... in willing hearts. Our natural virtues can never come close
to the virtues demanded by the Godhead: Our Self-serving love is not even a
cheap imitation of God’s self-sacrificing agape love, yet we cling to our
natural virtues -- Self loving itself -- all the while proclaiming Christ is
our Lord. But, Jesus knows what is in the heart of man... God knows our hearts!
So, we must learn to draw our nature from the reservoir of the resurrection
life of our Savior, to bring every part of our nature into harmony with the
implanted Christ-Life... to put on Christ. Woven within this “learning” are
death, submission, and renewal, the processes of spiritual transformation. These
are not painless processes, but so very rewarding for Self-willed stubborn
folks who seem hell-bent on misplacing their love on trinkets of wood, hay, and
stubble. Remember, our Self-nature is programmed to love the world, the same
world we are commanded not to love -- the same world predestined to burn! Be
thankful for God’s patience... and determination, therein lies our Blessed Hope...
Author’s Note: As with most of
the thoughts I share, this “song” is for me. I am traveling the road of
Transformation at a snail’s pace, catching fleeting glimpses of what could
be... should be... if I could just climb up on my cross and spread wide my arms.
Don’t pray causally for God to reveal His heart to you, for we cannot see His
heart without seeing our own, and recognizing just how far short of His
transforming glory we have fallen. While I am most concerned about an
experience... signs, wonders, miracles -- the felt presence of God -- God is
whispering “Son, I need to talk to you about your heart.” The greatest sign of
spiritual maturity... of pleasing God, is not spiritual giftings, ministries,
or signs following. It is Love, Joy, Peace... the Fruit of the Spirit, offered
in a cobbler of obedience, passion, and sacrifice. God’s presence is drawn to Godliness
like metal to a magnet -- abiding where His nature is strongest -- but...
Christlikeness is my weak suit. Like I said, this song is for me... but if the shoe fits...
THIS SONG IS FOR ME
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