Growing Up

"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

How many times have we read that Scripture? More times than we can count. But I have a little different take on it today based on the sermon I heard yesterday. This is a something-to-think-about kind of Promise.

Calvin told the story of all the things he has planned for his children when they get older. (He and his wife have 3 under the age of 5.) Things they can't do because they haven't grown enough. Adventures that are yet to be experienced because they're just not ready yet. And he can hardly wait...

Do you ever think about God feeling that way regarding His children... about us? Ephesians 2:10, NLT tells us, For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.  All the things He has planned for us? 

You may be at a place where you wonder about the good things. When are they coming? OR why aren't they coming? Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians 3:1-3 NLT, Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? 

I think we have to check ourselves. Have we grown up in our walk? Have we matured? Or have we reached a certain level and don't want to do what it takes to grow beyond it? Yes, we need to feed milk to babies, but we don't want to have to part a moustache to give a bottle to someone who should be ready for solid food. Let's get on with growing up.

Prayer:

Father,

           Help us to believe and receive what we are taught from the gifts You've given us. We pray Your word, that this will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of Your Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. That we will no longer be immature like children. That we won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. By Your grace, we will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.  Instead, help us to speak the Truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of His body, the church. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen