Here is the revelation that is shaping my life today – Jesus came as a revelation of God, model of the way into the kingdom, and to expose my heart.
Luke 2:33-35 TPT
[33] Simeon then blessed them and prophesied over Mary, saying: [34-35] “A painful sword will one day pierce your inner being, for your child will be rejected by many in Israel. And the destiny of your child is this: he will be laid down as a miracle sign for the downfall and resurrection of many in Israel. Many will oppose this sign, but it will expose to all the innermost thoughts of their hearts before God.”
Observation
The destiny of Jesus was foretold to his mother at his birth. Through Jesus, the way of death, “downfall,” and resurrection is made open to many. Jesus is the first and invites everyone to follow him. Death to the world, its systems, to darkness, and resurrection into the way of the Kingdom of God, the life God always intended for everyone. Jesus models the way the kingdom comes – death and resurrection. For the peace of the kingdom to come in my life I must die to worry, anxiety, stress, fear, and be resurrected into the shaping stories of the Kingdom that allow the peace of the kingdom to reign in my life. Death is through repentance, healing, deliverance, of the stories that contradict the kingdom in my life. And resurrection comes as I renew my mind and reshape my core truth with Kingdom truth, promises and God’s character. Jesus opened the way by being the first to pass through, he became our saviour and model.
Also, the destiny of Jesus is to “expose to all the innermost thoughts of our hearts before God.” Jesus brought God into full view. No one needs to ask ‘what’s is God like?’ in Jesus we have the exact representation of God in flesh. This bringing God before us in a way we can understand evokes a response from us, it reveals the thoughts of people’s hearts towards God. God no longer is ‘from a distant,’ He is now present and recognisable. And in Jesus, the invitation and the way to intimate, uninterrupted relationship with God is opened, and this invitation again exposes our heart response. Jesus exposes people’s response to God by making him knowable and opening the way to His being known. He opens a way that demands a response, Jesus poses a question to all of us – “God is present to you and for you, how will you respond?”
Application
I will walk in the way that Jesus opened, the way of death and resurrection into Kingdom life, and the way of an intimate uninterrupted relationship with God. This is why God put on flesh and become one with us.
Response
Thank you that you came for me. Thank you that you came for humanity, but you came for individuals, for me. Thank you that you came not to judge me but to open the way for me to be with you and walk in your ways. My response exposes my heart towards you and your offer of love and life. You cannot make such an outrageous offer and I not be exposed by my response. Thank you that when you expose my heart to me you invite me to respond. Thank you for the life I have in you. I live blessed!
Meditation
The model of the way to kingdom life is death and resurrection, what do you need to consider in your life that needs to follow Jesus into death and new life? (See journey deeper for a model for this).
JOURNEY DEEPER
