The Forgotten Journey
“ These all died in faith… having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things, make it known that they are seeking after a country of their own.” – Hebrews 11:13-14
Genesis 1:27 relates the creation of our spirits, both male and female, in God’s image, on the sixth day. After the Lord had rested, He formed Adam’s body from
the dust of the ground, breathed into him the breath (spirit) of life, and he became
a living soul. Though he named all the animals, no mate was found for him, so our attention is called to the forming of Eve from his rib. The tree of life was present,
but Satan’s lie, deceiving Eve, led to Adam’s disobedience, and their being driven from the presence of the Lord. That eviction made the journey necessary.
Ecclesiastes 12:7 declares, “the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.” The rebellion that began in Eden, is continued in each of us, until we encounter the Spirit of our Creator offering the life of his Son as a covering for ours. Then we may resist our Creator, (“You do always resist the Holy Sprit, as your fathers did, so do you.”-Acts 7:51) – or yield to him, as Mary did,
(“Be it unto me according to your word.” -Luke 1:38). Surrendering ourselves to Him is the turning point of our journey.
Those who yield to God seek to gather with others on their journey home. Churches should be gatherings of mutual help. But orchestrated meetings bypass the need for interaction that provokes real life-change. For receiving Jesus’ life has summoned us into giving up our own. Our self-centeredness must repeatedly die, or we remain alone. Real changes in us can occur from faithful words spoken back and forth.
Such changes have occurred in AA meetings for years. Do we want to be changed? “Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abides by itself alone;
but if it die, it bears much fruit.”- John 12:24
“But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light,
that shines more and more unto the perfect day.”-Proverbs 4:18
4/17/05