Examined In The Light
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10 (NASB)
What an amazing privilege to be called out of darkness into the light. We literally have changed family blood lines. We have been given the right to become children of God. We are no longer sinners judged and condemned under a legal code that made it impossible to have an intimate relationship with God. We are now called sons and daughters of God. We have a standing invitation to boldly and confidently approach His throne of grace. So let’s approach His throne now. Will you join me?
I’ve been a Christian for over 35 years. Over the last four to five years, God has been reshaping my belief system. He and I have been on a journey of rigorous honesty – examining my life under his light. More specifically, looking at my life, then looking at the life of Jesus and discovering where we differ… then taking decisive action to begin looking more like Jesus.
I found some fun questions to ask along the way. Would the words I use fit in the mouth of Jesus? Would Jesus drive the way I do? Would Jesus have the same guttural response when certain politicians, criminals, actors and the like suddenly appear on TV? Would Jesus give my spouse the silent treatment or bristle just because he was tired, irritated or grumpy? Would Jesus be grumpy?
Where it all started
Now before I lose you to the famous excuse “that’s because He is Jesus,” step into the light with me for just a moment. All of us were born into a fallen world with a sin nature; sinners indeed. What we were created to look like disappeared when Adam and Eve took that dreadful bite. When sin got done with Adam and Eve they looked nothing like their created design. The intimacy of walking with God in the cool of the day was interrupted.
Where it all finished
Then Jesus came. He left everything behind. Entered the womb of a woman. Spent nine months in the very place he has knit together generations of men and women. He was born under a tyrannical government bent on eliminating Him and preventing Him from accomplishing the very purpose for which he came. To seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10 – NASB).
You see, Jesus isn’t the way to heaven. He is the way back to the Father. From the moment he is introduced in the book of John, we are given hope of a restoration back to… the very relationship that was lost in the garden. John 1:12 (NASB) states: “but as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name,”. Not to mention all the mention of light in the first 10 versus alone.
What we don’t examine may be killing us
This journey into the light has led me to examine statements like:
- “How God can love somebody like me”
- “If people really knew the real me, they wouldn’t like what they see.”
All this is predicated on the fundamental belief that I am deeply flawed and bring little to no value to this relationship with my heavenly Father. Yet the fundamental flaw is not in me, it is in my belief about me. After all God’s view of me is something quite different.
According to Him I am holy, blameless and above reproach (Col. 1:22 – NASB). I am referred to as His inheritance. There is something unmistakably valuable in me that God finds desirable. As I continue to step into the light, I’m starting to see that rigorous honesty is not just about looking at flaws and imperfections. It is about looking at myself the way God sees me.
This is where walking in light can actually be an enjoyable process. Instead of fearing what God may uncover that displeases Him I’m beginning to see what He finds valuable. I’m seeing myself as a son the most high. I am seeing myself as part of a family and my desire in that role is to honor the Head of this family.
So join me in the light. You may be delightfully surprised at what you find as you look at yourself from His perspective.