July 3: Possession of His Likeness
To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent, O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever. Psalm 30:12
One of the first things we strive to teach our children is to express thankfulness. We readily express our thanks for the tangible, worldly blessings which Yahweh has given us. But like the Pharisees, we might see them as a measure of our “stature” in His kingdom. Lurking in the shadow of these verbal expressions of thankfulness is sometimes a tenacious desire to hold on to tangible blessings because they are “our possessions.” Our paradigm may be much too horizontal.
By your patience possess your souls. Luke 21:19
Could it be that our own thankfulness toward the Giver of life is in urgent need of expanding? Do you and I thank Him for His vision for each of us? Do we thank Him for His ability to see the end result of the transformation that He plans to accomplish in us? Do we even ask Him to show us what we can become?
He knows the inexplicably wonderful possibility of what you and I can become. And, though it is not yet reality, it is clearly envisioned in the mind of God. What’s more, He desires each of us to “catch the vision.” We are in training. Yahweh’s patience with us is something we should thank Him for daily. His patience is also an example to us. We are to patiently cooperate with the God of heaven, down to every detail that we understand of His requirements. The fulfillment of the vision that He has for each of us must not stagnate, but steadily progress. He does not want us to draw back (Hebrews 10:38). Have you ever thanked Him for making known His requirements?
The tiny little word “do” has a way of revealing reluctance on our part to actively pursue His training program over our personal preferences. Do I pout and sulk over the idea of obedience to a requirement that is beyond what I am conditioned to? The Red Sea and the Jordan River did not part until the children of Israel stepped forward in faith. These vivid symbols of stepping out in faith—believing what Yahweh says and acting upon it—are teaching tools that bring us toward realization of the ultimate promise: restoration of His likeness in us and the resulting transformation into full-fledged citizens of heaven! Only then will we be able to take in the splendor and brightness of the glorious city of God.
Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. Revelation 22:14