Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.
~Brennan Manning
So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
~ paul, The Least of The Apostles, in Romans 8
Oh beloved, it is true. We are not (yet) completely Home. There will be a Day that will never end where anything that is missing in this life will be filled. And lots of things we thought we could never do without, will simply fade from memory in the Light of His Presence. To see Him will be more than enough, and there is so much more!
Still, we are here, and seemingly stuck in quite a mess. However, there is a spark that is real. For, it will never grow old, nor wear out. Read the passage. We are not orphans in waiting. We are already His sons and daughters. Oh yes, there is still the matter of ceremony and inheritance beyond our wildest imaginations – but neither are those future things in doubt.
For, beloved, we have the witness of a G_d who does not change and cannot lie. We are, to put it bluntly: members of the very House of The King of The Universe… We have only to be crowned in a very real (read: more real than now) ceremony, as The Son presents us to The Father with great Joy (cf. Jude 24, 25).
Why is this important? The path home is not in doubt, so what is the issue?
Can we see it? Every prince is to be prepared for his office and every princess is to be groomed for her reign. And the most effective strategy that our Father uses is to chisel those parts of us away, that are not Him – and that, is just about everything.
It hurts. It hurts a lot.
We groan under the weight of it, we are sickened by the masses of evil that He pulls out of us and casts away. We moan under the tests and circumstances He uses to wax strength in our new spiritual limbs and exercise the new heart of flesh that He has transplanted into us.
What was that? Can you hear the other groan?
No. Its anticipation. Like a crowd of millions of millions watching a masterful play being executed by the very Best of athletes. Everything in His universe is looking in on the mystery. We (you and me) are being made into the very likeness of Jesus.
We will not be a facsimile, or a bootleg copy of the real thing. We will be so much like Him that He will willingly and smilingly put His own name on our foreheads one Day. He will sign the infinitely alive and immortal masterpieces that He has created and then crafted into His sons and daughters.
And it already begun.
So, are you groaning under the weight of His glory? Good. You are already home in more ways than you know. You are just being prepared for a celebration. And OH, this will be an ENORMOUS PARTY! Tonight is your night beloved. Time to know you are already Home, the remaining is simply the final preparation and anticipation for Life beyond anything you have ever imagined.
See you there. i will be one of the ones casting any of the awards i get at His feet, simply thanking Him for the Great Love with which He Loves me!
