I’ve
been thinking a lot about the process of the Christian life. Jesus saved me ‘way
back in 1972. In the intervening decades (wow, it’s been 43 years since that very
special September afternoon), He has made a lot of changes in me. At that time,
I had no clue about the journey I was beginning.
You
see, many people think of the Christian life as an event, rather than a
process. It’s more than just “praying the sinner’s prayer” that we often see or
hear. In fact, there are a lot of people who suppose that they are Christians, and
who appear to believe that praying that prayer is the extent of Christian
experience.
I
believe that God purposely describes the Christian life sometimes as a marathon
race and at other times as a wrestling match. He also uses agricultural terms
to describe it. What is common to all these analogies? One commonality is that
they each begin with a specific event (the starting gun, the bell in the first
round, the planting of seed).
Another
commonality is a process. The runner must reach the various milestones of the
course and the wrestler must consistently apply the right strategy through the
whole match. And the farmer must care for & watch over the seed he has
planted until he harvests the produce.
It’s
not enough to just start.
God
is all about beginnings (& new beginnings). But He is also all about the processes
through which He brings His ultimate purpose to completion.
What
is His ultimate purpose? It’s not just for us to be with Him forever, as
wonderful as that is. His ultimate purpose is actually to transform us into the
image of His Son. If that doesn’t happen, we will be terribly out of place.
Talk about the ultimate awkward moment!
Embrace
the process that God is bringing you through & be thankful for it. You can
do this as you remember His purpose in it all.
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