I don’t pre-plan my posts in November. I write from my heart and from my day. So, I don’t believe it’s an accident that I’m writing on this topic on November 7th. Seven, in scripture, signifies completion. On the seventh day, God finished His creation by resting. From that day forward, until the fall, God enjoyed daily, sweet fellowship with Adam and Even in the cool of the garden evenings.
Then sin destroyed it all.
BUT….there was a second Adam, Jesus Christ who hung on Calvary and declared once again, “It is finished!” What was finished? The restoration of what Adam had lost-fellowship with God. (Truly folks, God weren’t concerned that He had lost His gardener. No, He had lost the love of His life.)
God takes me from a theological existence to an experiential one as He is brings me into joyful fellowship with Him. Perhaps I didn’t experience it before due to a long-term membership to “People Pleasers Anonymous.” Perhaps I thought a little too highly of myself (as if something I could do would impress God in some way. ) Perhaps the revelation of the truth that God is only pleased with Christ and I am in Christ, therefore He is only pleased with me escaped me, even though I heard it preached and taught all my life.
I’ve found such freedom in knowing that He’s not concerned about how many posts I write, how many articles I publish, how clean my house is, how stylish my clothes are, how many hours a day I pray and read, or even how many souls I personally lead to the Him. All that matters is that I know HIM! Didn’t Jesus refuse entrance to a group of “do-gooders” in Matthew 7? His reason was because He didn’t KNOW them and they truly didn’t know Him!
My salvation, wrought for me by Christ, gives me a renewed fellowship with my Heavenly Father. It’s not something I create. Only Christ could do that for me. It is only my responsibility to maintain what Christ bought for me.
If someone gave you a free car, you would rejoice, wouldn’t you? Yet, even though the car was free, it costs something to maintain it. There are repairs, adjustments, body work, and inspections. Just as God walked with Adam and Eve in the garden, I too, must make myself available to walk and talk with God every day to maintain the free gift Christ bought for me. But who wouldn’t want that? Who wouldn’t want to have God Almighty Himself as our personal confidante and friend? It’s my joy! I mean, that’s even better than Siri or “Hey, Google!”
I discovered what the Apostle John spoke of so often, the fullness of joy that comes from knowing God. (Jn. 15:9-11) My life is consumed with thoughts of God. My relationship with God is no longer mere theory or theology. It is experiential. I know Him through what I see Him doing, in my life and the lives of others. Fullness defined is absolute satisfaction in abundance. IN HIM is FULLNESS! The summation of my existence should be that I KNOW HIM and the reward and fruit of it is fullness of joy!
Today, I am so, so, so, so thankful for Joyful Completeness.
Then sin destroyed it all.
BUT….there was a second Adam, Jesus Christ who hung on Calvary and declared once again, “It is finished!” What was finished? The restoration of what Adam had lost-fellowship with God. (Truly folks, God weren’t concerned that He had lost His gardener. No, He had lost the love of His life.)
God takes me from a theological existence to an experiential one as He is brings me into joyful fellowship with Him. Perhaps I didn’t experience it before due to a long-term membership to “People Pleasers Anonymous.” Perhaps I thought a little too highly of myself (as if something I could do would impress God in some way. ) Perhaps the revelation of the truth that God is only pleased with Christ and I am in Christ, therefore He is only pleased with me escaped me, even though I heard it preached and taught all my life.
I’ve found such freedom in knowing that He’s not concerned about how many posts I write, how many articles I publish, how clean my house is, how stylish my clothes are, how many hours a day I pray and read, or even how many souls I personally lead to the Him. All that matters is that I know HIM! Didn’t Jesus refuse entrance to a group of “do-gooders” in Matthew 7? His reason was because He didn’t KNOW them and they truly didn’t know Him!
My salvation, wrought for me by Christ, gives me a renewed fellowship with my Heavenly Father. It’s not something I create. Only Christ could do that for me. It is only my responsibility to maintain what Christ bought for me.
If someone gave you a free car, you would rejoice, wouldn’t you? Yet, even though the car was free, it costs something to maintain it. There are repairs, adjustments, body work, and inspections. Just as God walked with Adam and Eve in the garden, I too, must make myself available to walk and talk with God every day to maintain the free gift Christ bought for me. But who wouldn’t want that? Who wouldn’t want to have God Almighty Himself as our personal confidante and friend? It’s my joy! I mean, that’s even better than Siri or “Hey, Google!”
I discovered what the Apostle John spoke of so often, the fullness of joy that comes from knowing God. (Jn. 15:9-11) My life is consumed with thoughts of God. My relationship with God is no longer mere theory or theology. It is experiential. I know Him through what I see Him doing, in my life and the lives of others. Fullness defined is absolute satisfaction in abundance. IN HIM is FULLNESS! The summation of my existence should be that I KNOW HIM and the reward and fruit of it is fullness of joy!
Today, I am so, so, so, so thankful for Joyful Completeness.
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