Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...
Hey strangers! Did you know you become a stranger here on earth when you are born into God's family? He is from Heaven so that makes us followers of Jesus Christ also from Heaven; thus the 'stranger' status here on earth.
You have gone to a 'new' place before: to a new school, new neighborhood, new church. You know what it is like to feel 'a stranger'. Rather out of place. Well, that is exactly how we should feel on earth now. Why? As we grow in our relationship with God and our faith increases and we become more "holy as He is holy", we will be different.
Please read 1 Peter 1:17-23.
We will have a different focus than the 'earthly' people around us as we are obedient to God's Word and His standards for living. These will very often be different than society's standards. When we no longer 'conform to our evil desires' and are self-controlled through the Holy Spirit's help (one of the fruit of the Spirit), this will be in stark contrast to those who live it up, so to speak. How about when we have sincere love for our brothers even when they are difficult; yes, challenging at times, but when, by God's grace, we show that love, "all men will know that we are disciples" of Jesus (John 13:35).
Satan thought he had snatched us all away from God when he felt he'd gotten the victory in the Garden of Eden by deceiving Eve into eating the forbidden fruit and in turn having Adam outright disobeying God's command. But, and that is a big but, but God, redeemed us through the precious blood of His Son Jesus Christ allowing the human race to put their faith and hope and trust in Him and not on earthly things. So you see, our focus is different! Our faith and hope is in the Person Jesus who is from Heaven and should be our focus, and not on things from Earth.
Again, as we purify ourselves by obeying God's truth, we are indeed, different. People may even find us 'strange'...strange strangers. God has chosen us to be born again with imperishable seed where once we were 'perishable'. The child of God has to be imperishable as his/her destination is Heaven for eternity; imperishable as we will last forever. Are you beginning to see why we are called 'strangers'.
Since I'm a housewife spending most of my time in the home, and not out in an office, I don't get to feel that I'm so much of a stranger here on earth. However there have been times when eating out with my family in a restaurant that I've been shocked. At a table behind us was a group of high school aged boys. Every second or more word that came out of their mouths was either a curse word or foul language as if they were having a competition to see who could say the most!! When I remarked on it, do you remember, my sons, what you said? "Now you know! This is what we hear every day at school!" We do well to watch our words too and cut such off in the bud so they do not become part of our vocabulary. This too will make us 'strangers'.
God is holy and wants us to be holy too as it is in Heaven. Aim for these perfections which we can only get since we have been redeemed by God and been given His Holy Spirit. Let us not be holy in a pious, arrogant way which would be coming from our own strength, but in reverent fear of God. Go about our work for Him in this manner. We have been saved to do good deeds which we were ordained in advance to do (Ephesians 2:10).
Our Heavenly Father will judge those works whether they've been done for His honor and glory or for our own selfish pride. He'll judge impartially though. God sees us equally as His own dear children. He doesn't play favorites, so therefore our work will be judged for its purity of motive rather than on the person's being or what they have accomplished in life. This, so no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8, 9).
We're reminded that God purchased us with the blood of His son Jesus Christ whom God chose to do such before the creation of the world. It was due to Christ's work on our behalf that we even could become God's children. Our merit points only come because Jesus earned them for us.
God is gracious though and lets us partner with Him in doing His work. Work done out of love and gratitude for Him and what He's done for us as a kind of thank offering to Him. So as strangers, growing spiritually in faith and relationship with God the Father we can be in partnership in service for Him. He does His Sovereign work while we fulfill our responsibilities to make disciples and teach them to obey. As we do, let us remember we are but strangers here on earth and so live with a heavenly mindset. We are in the world but not of it (John 17:14-15) yet don't be so heavenly minded you are of no earthly good. We must still be the salt and light in this ole world and that is by being good strangers.
~ERC 2016~
No comments:
Post a Comment