When God created the world, all things were to grow out of the earth and be nourished by it. But when he created man, there was a difference. While God had created everything on the first five days by the words he spoke, when he created man as a living soul he did not just speak but descended to the dust of the earth. God breathed his Spirit into the dust and formed Adam (Genesis 2:7).
We are creatures precious to the heart of God. We are distinguished and privileged, the apple of his eye. We have the status of his children, and we inherit his kingdom. This happens because we believe and follow his commands and grow in him each and every day as we abide in Christ, the true vine.
And yet, like the rest of creation, we must grow. The word of God testifies that Jesus himself kept growing in wisdom, stature, and grace (Luke 2:52).
As we grow into Jesus' image, we are powerfully strengthened by his Spirit, rooted in his love. We can understand the fullness of God by abiding in Christ, just as he abides in God. And we will reflect his love, his compassion, and the tenderness that flows from his throne of grace (Ephesians 3:14-20).
If we are to touch the needy, we need to step out of our fear by the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, and walk in faith with humble hearts. As we do so, we will bear fruit, and our Father will be glorified.
The secret of this growth is found in our intimate love relation with our Father through prayer, which is the most powerful tool given to us for a victorious life.
The world we live in is full of struggles, hatred, destruction, and killing. We as the body of Christ are called to reconcile the world to God, just as we ourselves are a new creation in Christ and were reconciled to God the Father through him (2 Corinthians 5:17-21).
- 12 NOVEMBER -