Hi dears
As living sacrifices, we also are expected to grow and develop. Not only physically, but spiritually also. Consider today’s Holy Nougat
“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” Luke 2:52 NIV
In many faith traditions, it is understood that one begins to discern spiritual truths at age 12, because Jesus entered the temple at that time. While I follow their argument, it doesn’t add up. The 12 year old Jesus was not at the beginning of His faith journey, At that age, having been ‘home schooled’, Jesus out-taught and out-wisdomed the spiritual gurus of His day! Then He (continued to) grow in wisdom and stature.
Like physical growth, spiritual growth is essential for a living sacrifice. Biologists suggest that if all cells stop growing and moving we are dead. A growing oak is a living tree. A branch cut off from the oak tree and cured is no longer living – it is dead. It may be repurposed in other ways; but its life as part of the tree is done So it is with us – when we are/allow ourselves to be disconnected from Our Vine, we are dead (John 15:6-6). And in a sense, we lose our purpose.
We must remember, as living sacrifices, we have purpose. Each of us IS a gift, an offering to God. Not just our tithe, but also our time and talents. Whether we are 12 or not, we must grow in knowledge and fear (ie respect) of the Lord. We also grow IN purpose for God’s glory ON purpose. Oh yes we do.
We grow IN purpose according to what God has purposed (called) us to do and be. Jeremiah 1:5 suggests that our purpose is determined from the womb, before we are even born! So when we fail to grow spiritually, especially as living sacrifices, we are not in a good place. In Jamaican parlance, one would say ‘yuh down-grow’. That is often when disease sets in. Jesus would say we need pruning, and then, if we’re still not growing, then we’ll find that we become disconnected from Our Source of support.
For younger persons, growth follows a pattern. There seems to be negligible growth followed by a growth spurt – a time of speedy visible growth. The time of negligible growth is often understood as dormancy. During dormancy, cells are repairing, some die, others are born. But in the individual this doesn’t necessarily show on the outside. When Jesus prunes is to prevent us from down-growing, it is not always visible to others. We find ourselves convicted of sinful behaviors and drawn to attitudes and actions that reflect Christ.
Occasionally, the internal change is accompanied by fevers and other ‘maladies’, which usually occur immediately before the visible growth spurt. The same occurs with us spiritually too. Unfortunately, our old nature doesn’t always wish to be reconciled with God’s will, and our systems rebel. (See Romans 7:18-19 for more details). We might manifest our dis-ease with the spiritual changes taking place. But when Jesus is done pruning that part of our nature, what bliss! We find ourselves growing in the favor of God.
My dears, we are alive. Thus we are growing. I pray that we continue to grow spiritually, in knowledge and stature and in favor with YHWH.
God bless you
In Christ’s love and grace . . .
