Grand Scheme part 1
Maturation is a process. A never-ending life-long journey that starts at the finish line. And it's only when we understand that there is a plan at work that we can begin to enjoy the journey. Only when we understand that there's a grand scheme. Look at Colossians 2:2-3 in the New Living Translation, "I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God's mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." The plan, the grand scheme, what God is all about, is, in a word, Christ. In two words: Christ himself. That's it. That's all. That's Plan A and there is no need for a plan B. Man's "fall" didn't take God by surprise. He didn't tell Adam, "IF you eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil you'll surely die." He told Adam, "...for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Genesis 2:17). Because if you don't have anything to redeem, you can't have a redemption story. The choice God gave man was never, "Stay with me in the garden of Eden, or leave." The choice was, "You've experienced the word, now come home." We see this in the story of the Prodigal Son and we see it in Psalm 90:3, "Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men." What am I saying? It's all part of the plan. Remember in the last Rant series we saw that twists and turns in the path don't disqualify you. Stumbling and falling--making mistakes--simply gives you the opportunity to get back up. To learn from your mistakes. It's not about you "changing." It's about Christ Himself revealing Himself to you, and in you, and through you, and as you. It's about the mystery. God's "mysterious" plan. Which, according to Colossians 1:27, "...is Christ in you, the hope of glory." The mysterious plan is Christ Himself. Christ in you. The hope of revealed glory. He gave His glory to us when, on the cross, He gave His life for us and gave His life to us. And then He revealed that glory to us. IN us. So that we might know what's inside, and by knowing (and believing) it might come out. It's an outworking of an indwelling Spirit. It's being filled with His Spirit and then filling ourselves with the fulness of Christ by testing the height, and length, and breadth, and depth of His love for us. And how do we test out His love? By using it. By giving it to--sharing it with--others. And that, my friends, is the grand scheme. That's why we're here. That's our EPIC (Eternal Purpose In Christ) Destiny. That's why we were created. To be loved and to love one another. That's it. That's the point. That's the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. And that's everything in between. It's all about love. Love is all you need, and love is who Jesus is. God in the flesh. Love in a body. God in YOUR flesh. Love in YOUR body. And when you love... that's when the Word BECOMES flesh. That's when you let Him live in, and through, and as you. That's when love becomes charity. That's when you put the plan in motion, if I can say it that way. When you let Daddy love you, and then give what you've got. My pastor always says, "If you know it, throw it." You can't give what you don't have, and you can only give what you do have. The plan is Christ Himself. The mystery of Christ in you is revealed when He comes OUT of you. When the love you have is shared with those you come into contact with. You are loved. So you can love! And in the grand scheme of things, that's all that matters.