“…I will come again and receive you unto Myself that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:3
Have you ever thought about the privilege of being received by God? Thinking on this privilege prepares us to receive from God. Christ’s promise to receive us is the promise upon which all other promises hinge. Being received in heaven allows us to receive heaven while we live on earth--it is a beautiful cyclical relationship. God gives Himself completely to those willing to receive Him…to those who rejoice in being received by Him.
God is still the same generous God who created the entire world for the benefit of mankind. This world is a gift from Him for us to learn from and to enjoy. All that is of God is intended to usher us into His presence. Often, we prefer the presents more than His presence, and find our lives are painfully lacking. Our hearts cannot hold to fleshly desires and have room for the Lord as well. Receiving the promises that will fulfill hinges on longing for His presence above all.
Jesus is the only way into the presence of God. We see the ‘way’ by looking at Christ’s response to our treatment of Him. While we ignore and reject Christ, His perfect love waits and works on our behalf. We rebellious, faithless, complaining people are a treasure to Him! When we begin to see Jesus in that light, we begin to become like Him--and we begin to receive all that God longs to give. Rejoicing at our welcome from Christ opens the door to the blessings of heaven--the door to God Himself!
Jesus told us that everything we ask in His name---with His character, His motives--will be received. Our requests to God are fulfilled when our character receives the ‘stuff of the world’ with the active, patient love of Jesus Christ. His way is the way to receive all that God desires to give. Requests presented in the nature of Christ receive the unbounded nature of God in reply. Blessings or curses, life or death, flow from heaven for a singular purpose: that all may know He alone is God.
No comments:
Post a Comment