Road trips are some of my favorite times. It provides a close atmosphere and usually an abundance of talking and differences of opinions. Whether it is supposed to work that way or not, I couldn’t be the one to tell you, but it is something I enjoy. Recently, I was able to take a few different trips here and there with family members and it provided good talking points.
As quickly as the dotted lines on the road passed so did the range of subjects: school, trips, friends, sports, America, and God. There isn’t any particular topic off limits just remember to focus while you drive. Don’t get carried away! Yes, revel in the discussions and enjoy the moments as they flip bye. God will use these times as talking points in your own personal life.
Take two.
Out of the general conversation and time spent together one can develop a sense of worth. The activity isn’t as important, but the time and focus is. Gently talking with some younger family members, a comment was made that “I’ll make you proud one day…” And it caught my attention. My response was, “you don’t have to, I already am proud of you and the person you are growing into.” That made an impact on this family member… It met a need or a desire that was hidden inside. I’m grateful for the positive impression I can leave with them.
But this brings me to a greater point, G.O.D.
We have a defined need to be accepted and approved of. It is something in our society or maybe our very nature. We seek the acceptance of others. The words we use and the actions we display give way to what others interpret… at least on the surface. On the inside we battle all day long trying to figure the games that are played and what it means to us. It can be quite the task to do this on a regular basis especially the bigger the field is that you plow. Meaning in your everyday area of influence.
Good news! The bible puts that to rest. You can be assured that in your baptism you became someone more! You became accepted into the family of God! Christ took the penalty of sin with Him on the Cross of Calvary. When you laid down, knelt, or bent over, however it happened for you, the moment you were received into His baptism you became more (Romans 6: 3-8)! In the submersion of water, you declared that Jesus’ death and burial became your death and burial; in the rising from the water, you were received into His resurrection. (1) His actions became your actions and you were co-crucified, co-buried, and co-resurrected.
Because of the act of devotion described above, you can be sure that you are a new creation in Christ, and as such, you have become a son and daughter of heaven (Gal 4:7). Sure you will have days of joy and days of sadness, but those are the ways of this life. In Jesus, we share the good and the bad, but we can be assured that in the end we will be with Him and share in His Glory (John 17: 20-26). Know that your identity is found in Him and He has accepted you.
The apostle John wrote it this way: “Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is (I John 3:2).” When Jesus prayed in John 17, He told us that He sanctified Himself so that we too would be sanctified (v19). Our High Priest has done the work for all time!
With such love on display, we can see time and time again how we are found worthy because of the Son of Man. It’s His love that transcends our acts and it’s His grace that covers us. I want you to know, that because of your relationship with Him, it defines who you are. We are accepted into the family of God and this understanding and revelation is what we need to know so we can begin to comprehend our place on this earth. To do this, I felt it necessary to cover baptism the best way I could.
Growing more and more, I’m learning each time I go to Him that my understanding of who He is, is not big enough. My concept and revelation of Him is still too narrow. I want more. I hope in these times that are bestowed upon us, we can come together to seek Him. I want more! I’m not satisfied with the bread from yesterday. I want a fresh batch baked for me today! There is more to God than we know. Let’s follow Paul’s lead in Romans 11 and search Him out (v33)!
Godspeed, The Journeyman
Ps. Today’s story comes from a renewed search for Him. I’ve been blessed the past several weeks and am learning there is so much more to God. He wants to reveal something new for our Generation that will impact the future generations. Let’s go and find Him while He may be found (Isaiah: 55:6)!
[1] Banov, W. C. (2017). Love Notes: A companion to The Proposal. Bliss publishing.
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