The
person that you are now, the person you have been, the person you will be –
the
person God has chosen as beloved.
-William Countryman
It is hard to grasp the
illustrations God uses to describe his children. Ephesians 2:1o says we are his
workmanship. Jesus told us in John 15
that we are branches on the Vine, drawing our life and bearing our fruit
through the life he gives.
In 1 Corinthians, the
analogies are even more mind-boggling:
In 3:9, we are God’s building; 6:19 tells us that he’s not only the
architect, but also the inhabitant; and that at an even more personal level, we
are not just his functional building; but his living body (12:27).
We could spend eternity
trying to understand all the implications of our identity – we probably will,
in fact – but there’s at least one thing we can be sure of now: God has bound
himself inextricably to those who are born of his Spirit by faith in his
Son. He is not a detached observer of
our affairs; he is not a commander pulling our strings for his purposes; and he
is not just waiting for us to fail so he can discipline us.
He is more than just someone
we relate to, and we are more than his servants or friends. We are born of his own self. For some amazing reasons, he has invested
himself in he creation to a degree we ca hardly understand. He is untied to us in intimate detail.
If you have ever doubted
God’s commitment to your welfare, let these truths erase your suspicions. He is a committed to your welfare as he is to
his own. And if you are a believer who
has been born of his Spirit and still felt distant from him at times, you can
know that your feelings are lying to you.
The experience of fellowship
may be weak at times, but our spiritual union with him is constant. It doesn’t change, because God doesn’t
change.
Try to think about yourself
from God’s perspective, if you can.
Imagine having created someone and then literally going to great pains
to redeem that person. Imagine giving
this person your name, your authority, and your promise. Now, how committed to this person would you
be?
Consider your answer well;
that’s how much God is committed to you.
You
are God’s field, God’s building.
I Corinthians 3:9
With much love,
A long-time Oasis member
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