An incarnate God who was humble enough to leave heaven and dwell on earth–not to sit on a throne but to know poverty among his created beings. “He anointed us, set the seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (1 Corinthians 1:21 – 22)Then from within our own hearts his Spirit works prompting encouraging, comforting, enlightening and revealing to us the Lord’s glory. Tune into that glory. Experience and delight in that glory! (1 Corinthians 3:17-18)
Sovereignty
Nothing, no circumstance, is beyond the reach of God. He either caused or allowed every life event….and it will work out well. In the long run–beyond our sight or reasoning–it will work out well.
God’s purposes and will win the day—every day in every circumstance. What may seem onerous to us in the short term is perfectly fine in God’s eternal plan. WE must learn to trust and love the eternal workings of God more than we love control and comfort in the moment. God’s got it! The past, the present and the future are in his capable, compassionate hands and victory is sure.
“[God] who works out everything in conformity to the purpose of his will.” — Ephesians 1:11
I was one day moaning over a tragedy. My friend, more spiritual than I, commented: “We don’t know whether it’s good or bad.” But we know it will work out for the good in God’s eternal plan and serve to work out his perfect will.
Inclusive and Exclusive
“I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” — John 14:6
The first sentence is all-inclusive. Jesus is everything we need spiritually. He is the way–the way to think, the way to live, the way to the Father and eternity. He is absolute truth. No equivocation, no question, no insecurity about what he said or what he meant or whether he left anything out. Life–want real life? Want to live it up? Want a life with meaning and real life insurance? Jesus!
The second sentence is exclusive. It excludes every other path apart from the one way, the one truth. Jesus, the one exclusive path to eternal life!
Encountering Jesus
Now Jesus himself pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country(John 4:44).
We live in a different country and even a different century, but this danger looms with the tendency to take Jesus for granted. The church is our country and we can so easily slip into going through the motions and becoming so familiar with Jesus that we lose the awe of our first encounter. I have to guard against being lulled into complacency. I’m a faithful, regular searcher of the scriptures, I enjoy Bible study, but I don’t always hunger for it with the desperation I had when I was longing to find hope and meaning for my life. I lose the joy and exhilaration of that first search.
I have to remember that I’m still desperate, but it’s a delightful desperation absent of fear! Now I know I can be filled and I know where to find the food!
