Here is the revelation that is shaping my life today – he is the teacher of himself, and he is faithful to the task. The question is my posture to receive.
Philippians 1:6 NLT
[6] And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
Observation
My God story is a continually God-directed story of personal progressive revelation. His work of revealing himself is an ongoing work that reaches completion when I come to the end of this physical journey. So my posture in life should be that of a journeyer. The work of walking with and intimately knowing God never ends.
It is disappointing when I settle down in today’s understanding of truth and posture myself as a defender. I leave the trail of inquiry and open-hearted expectation for the walls and defence of an established position. I no longer have ears to listen to his continuing work for I have taken the ‘heroic’ but unrequired and unrequested posture of defender of him. Not only do I stand opposed to his continued work, but I also leave the road from journeying with fellow explorers, and potentially stop others from his work as I recruit them into my castle defence.
God does the work of revelation. For too long we have postured ourselves as the revealers of him. We have preached and taught but not invited listeners to the road of the intimate journey. We have proclaimed our version of truth rather than shared our journey and invited others to the road. The greatest pleasure this life holds is to be on a personal progressive journey of intimacy with God as he reveals himself and in so doing reveals myself, to me. For as I discover him, I discover me, for his image is me in true form. It’s his work and he does it, and sharing in any form must point listeners to this journey.
Application
I will never leave the trail for the castle. I will never replace his intimacy with another teacher. I will never propose I have arrived and enforce that on others, I will only ever offer my journey and invite sharing his presence. I will have ears to listen to any who are on the road, whatever trail their journey may have them on, and be secure in the intimacy of his presence to show himself and his ways to me.
Response
Thank you for an invitation to life in discovery. Thank you that you complete what you begin. Thank you that your invitation is to you and your journey. I love the personal way you bring to me the revelation of self. I will never leave the trail for I know in your love and your goodness you have more amazement for me. I love this life, I love leaving the castle defence behind for the beauty of discovery.
Meditation
Meditate – he will continue his work until it is finally finished.
Consider:
Are you on the trail or in the castle?
Do you have a posture to receive the revelation of self that God promises you?
JOURNEY DEEPER
