A Story Like Wine
"Our view of tomorrow determines how we live today.- ‚ Joni Eareckson Tada
The story of our relationship with God reminds me of fine wine. Like any story, it has a beginning, middle and end. It all starts when we trust in Jesus and on what He did for us on the cross. It is what the Bible calls justification, where God frees us from the penalty and power of sin by His grace.
The middle part of our story is what the Bible calls sanctification. As we put our faith in Christ and have been justified, what follows next is God's sanctifying work.
His way of loosening sin's hold and influence over us. It is the longest yet most exciting part of our journey with the Lord. Its about facing different challenges everyday knowing that in Jesus we have the Holy Spirit in and by our side to empower us to overcome any adversity we might face.
It could be financial lack, conflicts, sickness—and yet as we choose to trust that all things are coming together for our good, God molds us into the image of Christ through these challenges.
The Ending
Both justification and sanctification are important. The former establishes the beginning of our relationship with Christ, while the latter is our present journey with Him.
We know this story. It is a story so beautiful and familiar to us, told time and time again, that sometimes we get so wrapped up in the now that we forget the beautiful ending, the part that the Bible calls glorification.
Tomorrow Meets Today
This is the day our bodies are transformed into spiritual bodies just like the one Jesus has when He resurrected from the dead.
Here, we are finally freed from everything temporary, whether they be hardships, suffering, and even sin itself. This is the happy ending that we didn't deserve yet attained because of what the Lord has accomplished for us.
The next time you find yourself swamped by life's realities, or you're tempted to trade what's eternal for the temporal keep your eyes focused on the vision. One day God will glorify us so we can spend eternity with Him.
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2Corinthians 4:18
With this vision of glorification comes a peace that surpasses all understanding; a peace that can be accessed not only in the future but also at present. It is a peace that makes the present endurable as we push painfully, joyfully, expectantly and eagerly toward the future like a woman in childbirth.
Don't forget the wine
The story of our spiritual lives start out as we are justified. Over time we are sanctified and this can be both challenging and refreshing as God works things in and out of our lives.
Like wine that can sometimes be sour and at times sweet, wine tastes better over time. Wine that starts with grapes that are harvested, refined through time to one day be the finest of wines . Get the picture?
As Joni Eareckson puts it,"Our view of tomorrow determines how we live today.- Ciao'
My Comments Policy
While my site offers visitors the ability to converse, I have a few ground rules so that our conversations will remain civil and courteous.
1. You must register in order to leave a comment. I don’t entertain pseudo, anonymous or bogus individuals. This site is my home (it has a Home Page, get it). I don’t let strangers who don’t introduce themselves into my home.
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