See the Beauty Within #2

That we would know our true identity is the cry of Father’s heart. This is the very essence of the Gospel of Grace and what Jesus Christ Himself, the Living Word of God embodies. Our identity is discovered in His. I believe Jesus was to unveil the Gospel during the last supper, hours before His Crucifixion:

“In that day, you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me and I am in you.” John 14:20

The Triune God did that!

Do you recall, from our last post, that wee word, all? Not some. No random selection. God’s Love is not a whimsical commodity He hands out whenever the mood dictates! All. The import of the parable of the lost sheep (as with the lost coin and indeed the prodigal) is that if one is lost, The Good Shepherd finds it and brings it back into the fold where it belongs! Sheep are really dumb; ask any farmer. Unaware of their own lostness, they wonder aimlessly, only to precariously balance on the edge of a precipice, seeking greener grass miles from home. May I ask, whom this sheep (or coin or son) represents? Is this sheep you? Me? Whom is it then? Could it be whomever is lost? Were not all lost? The point is, if the Shepherd finds this one, a random one, then He finds whichever one is lost. If it is whichever one, it’s any one. If any one, it’s each one! If each, then…All! The lost coin? Simply put, that which was lost never relinquished its value and never lost the inscription (“You are my Beloved son”) and image (The Triune God’s) it carried.

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You may remember our posts on the Two Trees where we discussed how religion was born of the lie that you have to do something to be who you already are, or to have that which you already possess in Christ! Salvation was never up to you. It was never put into your own hands. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? – that was a question posed by Jesus, actually. There was never any expectation for that which is in darkness to produce its own light! Religious nonsense. Worth recalling, is Jeremiah’s rhetorical question, “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots?” Um…no!

A sheep and a coin, let alone a son, can only be lost it they first belong! You belong…always did. As do your spouse, your children, your neighbour, the shop assistant, the man who delivers your groceries or collects your rubbish, your local barista and your favourite politician! All are in Christ and Christ is in all. And He did that! Paul states in 2 Cor. 5:19 that God was in Christ Jesus reconciling the world (all) to Himself. Belief does not alter this Truth nor make it so. It is Real! Believing it, however, does allow us to experience and enjoy our sonship with Father! Faith does not change God, it allows Holy Spirit to change us. He will not leave you an orphan, no matter how small that orphaned thinking is. He wants you entirely awakened to and enjoying the Pleasure of the Triune Life: a Life you were created to partake in fully.

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A few days ago, I was reading a profound piece on the Trinity and was deeply absorbed in it. I paused to contemplate something and caught sight of my three year old daughter sitting in the next room playing with farmyard animals (not real ones thankfully!). My heart was arrested (in a good way) and I found myself beholding her beauty and innocence and was enjoying seeing her playing and hearing her monologuing!

Presented with these situations we have a choice, an opportunity. An opportunity to engage with life. In so doing, we engage with the Life of the Triune God in others and Their Life expressed and experienced in and through ourselves.

So, I decided to play farm! And I thoroughly enjoyed playing with my daughter: The Triune life expressed in our play and laughter! Theology only takes you so far!

You may recall how we discussed Paul’s revelation of Christ in him and that if one died for all then all died. For Paul, therefore, we can no longer recognise anyone according to the flesh: rather, we recognise Christ in you (all) the hope of Glory! When with a family member, or a friend in a cafe, when at work, rest or play, we have an opportunity to behold the new, to behold Christ in the other and they in Christ. Butcher, baker, candlestick maker. King, bard, rich or poor. Whatever age, whatever ability, whatever colour. Only in Christ will we see the end of all division, all judgement, all jealousy, comparison and condemnation of others: for all are one in Him.

“By discovering Christ from God’s point of view we discover ourselves and every other human life from God’s point of view. Paul (saw) by revelation that what Jesus redeemed in every person brings absolute closure and death to any other reasoning and judgement we may have had of ourselves or anyone else for that matter.”

“Jesus had one exclusive commission and that was to reveal man’s true sonship….It becomes impossible to discover the church, or any individual outside of the identity of the Son of man.” Quotes: Francois du Toit

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I have been known to carve a wooden spoon or two…or more. I do so from greenwood which oftentimes some may consider worthless or intend to consign to the firewood stash. The process is simple…ish. I remove that which is not a spoon (the old) and behold the spoon throughout the carving process, until it appears (the new)! The spoon did not appear because I believed. It was there all along. I merely believed it was. As I like to say, I simply revealed the beauty within.

My prayer for all (!) of us, is that we see the beauty we carry in earthen vessels and behold Christ in ourselves and Christ in all others, recognising that He did that! May we see ourselves co-seated with Christ, forever held in the bosom of our Dad who loves us passionately, free in the Anointing of Holy Spirit in Whom we Fellowship with Father and Son.

“In that day, you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me and I Am in you.” John 14:20

As He Is

Ger

If this post blessed you or even challenged you, I would love to hear from you! It is so wonderful to journey with you and have our minds blown as our heart ignites! Please contact me, leave a comment and share on your favourite media so all may know. Bless ya!