From beginning to end it’s all
about love. God loves us to much to leave us the way we are, so He gives us His
Spirit to manifest His nature in us. The Apostle Paul called it being “conformed
into the image of His Son”... to be so molded and shaped inwardly by the
implanted Christ-Life that our outward expression becomes a reflection of His
life. Much like the sun reflecting on the water, we reflect the derived
likeness of Christ: From a transformed heart we express His nature, His character,
virtues, values, and attitude in our thoughts, words, and actions. Only in
Christlikeness can we truly love with agapao love and fulfill the two great
commandments to love God and love others. I don’t think God is much concerned
with what label we impose upon ourselves, whether we are a vanilla or chocolate
denomination, movement X or independent Y, the only real abiding issue before
our loving Father is how much do we resemble His Beloved Son. This God of love,
who paid such an unthinkable – horrendous -- price to draw us to His side and
release His DNA in us, do you really think there is anything more important to
Him then seeing the nature of Jesus take root and blossom in us, His blood
bought children. Nothing can separate us from His loving work in us, willing
and doing His good pleasure in our lives... nothing but our volition! Nothing
but the power of our will to conscious choose to maintain Self
on the throne of our heart, refusing to align our heart with His heart while we
willfully choose to pursue lovers less wild, can separate us from the love God
wants to bestow on us...
It should not surprise us that
the narrow straight way to eternal life is difficult and wrought with trouble,
adversity and pain – in a word, bad -- for these are the Grace-Builders that
enable the crucified life, that in death of Self Christ’s new life might spring
forth. The roaring lion still prowls earth but he must make a road trip to the
throne of God before he can devour anything... before he can so much as touch a
numbered hair. God allows in His wisdom what He could easily prevent in His
power. Job understood the “givings” and
takings” of the Lord, accepting both good and bad providentially, with “though
He slay me” trust, and never sinned with his lips by blaming God. Job understood... we need to understand
also. The Master Potter’s love is released in the creative pressure of His
hands... ever molding... always shaping, nothing in our life is without
purpose, for God never wastes bad. We need only gaze upon the baffling,
horrendous cross of our Savior to understand we are Bone of His Bone and Flesh
of His Flesh: We are Baptized into Christ... baptized into His death, that just
as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also
should walk in the newness of His resurrected life... conformed into
Christlikeness. God never said it would be easy, but He did say we would not
have to walk this way alone...
“FEAR NOT, FOR I AM WITH YOU”
(Matt. 7:14; 1 Peter 5:8; Job 1:21-22; 2:10; 13:15;
Rom. 6:3-4, 8:29; Is. 41:10)
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