So often, we act as though being saved or “born again” is a solitary moment that happens and then it’s over. We said the magic words and now we’re going to heaven, and yet we either go back to the way we were living before, striving in emptiness after things that are passing away, or we struggle throughout life because we can never quite attain the victory we know should be available to us in Christ.
It was never meant to be that way.
Just picture the analogy itself. When a baby is born, its life and journey is far from over. The birth is only the beginning of a beautiful process of learning and growing. So how much more would a spiritual rebirth into God’s Family mean a process of learning and growing…being conformed daily to the Image of Christ; learning to look like Christ the way a child learns to exhibit the characteristics of his parents; growing to take hold of full potential?
God delights when we look like Him. He was pleased with David because he was a man after His own Heart. It was this Heart that gave David victory. David was able to defeat Goliath because he was so one with God that when God moved, David sprang into action. Over and over, God accomplished His will for Israel through people like David, people who carried His Heart and would do all His will. Now, because of Jesus opening the way to the Father, and pouring out His Holy Spirit, this Heart is available to all of us who believe!
“Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God….born of God.” John 1:12-13
“He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with the Lord…Christ in you, the Hope of Glory.” 1 Corinthians 6:17 and 1:27b.
This is the awesome privilege we are designed for—when we receive Christ as our Savior and Lord, we get to receive God’s Life in us. God’s resources are at our disposal, in Christ. We get to dream God’s dreams. When we delight in Him, His desires become our desires, and that’s how He gives us the longings of our hearts. Our motives and priorities change. We develop the ability to refuse sin, to take thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. Compassion stirs in us, opening our hearts wider and enabling us to do greater things than we would’ve done on our own. (And these greater things are not just greater in terms of size, but impact.) Whether we plant or water, God gives the fruit, and we get to experience being a part of God’s plan.
Let’s not neglect this wonderful privilege and great pleasure. We have the mind of Christ. Let’s surrender today, and ask Him to help us walk out the glorious reality we were made for.