I recently had a really neat conversation about God's provision with a friend who made the comment, "I just don't get God's favor! I mean, I'm a punk..." To him, I replied, "You're His child." That's when my friend, shaking his head, looked up at me and said, "Not just child...co-heir with Christ....brothers!"
We continued to rejoice about the provisions God had made in my friend's life, but I left that conversation, continuing to think about the concept of not just being God's child...but Christ's sibling. About an hour later, I was doing part of a Bible study and I came across Hb 2:10-11. "...From one Father...He is not ashamed to call [us] brethren..." Again, mind blown. I looked up other verses that have this same heir in them. I found Rm 8:16,17. "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him."
Co-heir. Sibling. If you know me well at all, you know I have two brothers. I love them dearly, and I'm honored to say we have fairly decent relationships. I see them differently than I see the rest of the world. For instance, my youngest brother and I can have conversations that I can't have with the rest of the world. Around my brothers, I can totally be myself. If I'm angry, I tell them. (Although, they usually know it before I say anything.) There have been times that I've been upset and could only talk to one of my brothers. That's just how it is. To add to this, my brothers and I look a lot alike. I realize that this is not the case with all siblings, but it's working to make my point, so bear with me!
I think about the aforementioned qualities in relation to Christ. Scripture tells us that He and I are from the same Father. I'm His sister! Maybe I'm weird, but this absolutely blows my mind! It's incredible. I have a special bond with Christ that I don't have with the world. I can go to Him, in honesty and vulnerability, and spill my heart out to Him. He'll listen. He'll care. He'll protect me and love me. He's my brother! About looking like Him...oh, that I may resemble the face of Christ!
This is a high blessing, but it's also a high calling! One day, we, as believers, will be glorified with Christ. Amazing. First, however, we must follow His example of suffering.
I think this goes perfectly with the "how do you view God/Christ?" question. To some people for God to be their Father is mind blowing b/c they didn't have a father figure, etc. Or Jesus as a Teacher is great b/c of their past experiences with being taught in life. Etc.
ReplyDeleteYou hit such a good point that Christ is our brother. And I can see how much that means to you and also how your view of Christ is changing. That's AWESOME.
I get blessed through your blessing, friend. Love you.
in church tonight, dad asked, "what do you see is good...what do you delight in...what do you find Joy in?" my kids...my kids...my kids! how i love to see you all in the same picture and to hear you laugh in the same room. and dad went on to say, "whatever you pictured in your mind when i asked that, God blessed you with it". praise the name of Jesus for you and your brothers. i love you sarahallisonmetcalf.
ReplyDeleteRom.8:29 - "For whom He foreknew, He also predistined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."
ReplyDeleteQ - How does that conforming take place?
Phil.1:29 - "For to you it has been granted(graced) on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but ALSO to suffer for His sake."
Phil.3:10,11 - "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead."
-Death before resurrection.
-Death to self, alive to Christ.
Mark 8:34 - "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."
Follow Him in the way He gave up His rights and came and sacrificed His life that we might live. So He says to us, "Go...and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you."
-So we are to go, as He went(came to us), and give of ourselves, that Christ may give of Himself through us.
Phil.2:4-8 - "Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross."