Out and In part 3
Jesus brought us out... to bring us in. Out of bondage, and in to the Promised Land. Out of sin and death, and in to His abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life. So my question is: Why are we still so focused on the past? For that matter, why are we so focused on the future? There's an old saying that goes, "The past is history, the future is a mystery. Right now is a gift; that's why it's called the present!" But instead of living today--for today!--we either let what came before hold us back, or we let what might come next paralyze us. We get so caught up in the destination that we fail to enjoy the ride. Or we let a bump in the road stop us from travelling at all. What am I trying to say? The Promised Land is rest. When Solomon became king there was peace on all sides because his daddy had already fought all the wars. He didn't need to conquer, because he was more than a conquerer. He got to enjoy the fruit of his father's labor. So it is with us. Jesus did it all so we could get it all. He gave us everything we would ever need--blessed us with all Spiritual blessings and gave us all things that pertain to life and godliness--when He gave us... Himself. He didn't just give His life FOR us, He gave HIS life TO us. He didn't just bring us OUT, He brought us IN. Out of death. In to life. HIS life! Look at Exodus 3:8, "And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites." He came down to bring us up. He didn't leave us where we were at. He became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. He came to save us, to free us. But we always get stuck on what He saved us FROM. What He freed us FROM. And, again, it's important that you understand what you were saved from, and freed from. But let me say it like this: If all you do is focus on that stuff--that sin and death that is dealt with and gone--then it's kind of like Jesus unlocked your cell door but you refused to open it. Like Jesus is knocking on the door--which is your heart--and you're refusing to answer. Like you're free, but you're still acting like you're in bondage. You're in the Promised Land, but you're wandering around like a stranger. Because you don't know where you are, or what you have, because you won't let go of where you WERE and what you HAD. You have to lay aside the weight, and the sin that so easily besets you, before you can walk in newness of life. If you're still dragging around the corpse of the (dead) old man, then it's pretty hard to be the New Man that you really are. If you're still focused on the past--or the future--you'll miss out on the present. The gift of God. Eternal life--which is knowing the Father and the One He sent. Living in the context of Sonship. Living in the Father's love, and sharing that love with everyone you come into contact with!