Not everyone chooses to grow up. Physically it is inevitable. Emotionally – it can be tricky. Spiritually it is the exception rather than the rule. Sadly.
To choose maturity is to willingly submit my will to God’s will. We were meant to be reborn AND to grow strong. To grow up – to the “measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”
– Ephesians 4:13
This involves the hard work of being an intentional follower of Christ. In many senses this is the purpose of the arena of faith. It is where we wage war. Where we love. Where we learn hope.
This is what Christ’s Kingdom is all about. Growing strong even though we are opposed on every side.
“But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,
that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” – Philippians 3:7-11
Did you know that church is mentioned only a few times in the Gospels, but the Kingdom is mentioned over 100 times?
Enjoy, our Journeying friend!
Dave & Burnadette