This life is a calling to something higher.

God created us for LIFE with Him ~ a spiritual LIFE ~ an eternal LIFE,  apart from the physical life we are now living.

For this LIFE, God is redeeming a people for Himself, in the sacrificial work of His Son Jesus Christ, through the power of His Holy Spirit.

Just as God, through Moses, brought the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt to a land He had prepared for them, He sent Jesus, His Son, to deliver us from the bondage of sin and rebellion, with the promise of eternity with Him.

Since Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, He now rules at the right hand of the Father, sending the Holy Spirit to bring this LIFE to His people.

The FATHER finished His work of CREATION.

JESUS, the SON, finished His work of REDEMPTION.

His HOLY SPIRIT is now doing His work to give us this LIFE,
separating His people from the power of Satan, sin, self, and the world,
and preparing us for this eternal LIFE with the FATHER and the SON.

“Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ!
According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead,
to an inheritance that is imperishable,
undefiled, and unfading,
kept in heaven for you,
who by God’s power are being guarded
through faith for a salvation ready
to be revealed in the last time.”
1 Peter 1:3-5

Here is a double promise in Simon Peter’s words.

It is not only by God’s power that the inheritance of eternal LIFE is being kept in heaven for us, but we are being kept through faith to receive this inheritance. No one can take it from us, or keep us from receiving what He has willed for us for eternity.

“according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:”
1 Peter 1:2

In light of the work of Christ, the promises, and this high, heavenly and holy calling, He is preparing us in this life for eternity with Him.

There is no other purpose for physical life than this: preparation and conforming us to the image of Christ, so as to be compatible to share His glory.

His bride (His people) must be ready (Ephesians 5:26-27). It is during this preparation that we get a glimpse of the glory which is prepared for us. His love goes deeper, and our hearts grow fonder as He draws us to Himself.

The nearer we come to the end of this life, the more we anticipate this consummation and eternity with our Lord. Nothing in this life will ever compare to what He has planned for us. We have but to meditate on His promises and imagine this LIFE with Him. I am reminded of the story of Esther’s preparation to become Queen. The King offered her half his kingdom. We are promised the Father’s whole kingdom, as joint heirs with His Son.

“The first man Adam became a living being”;
the last Adam became a LIFE-giving spirit.”
1 Corinthians 15:45

Love, joy and peace are just a sample of the LIFE Jesus came to give through His Spirit. We, who now live on earth, are in the preface of eternity. God’s children are born, sealed, live, led, walk in, and bear the fruit of His Spirit, and grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ as He prepares us to share His glory. Every phase and every stage of this life, with every episode and event, is part of this preparation, all for His glory and our joy (Romans 8:28-29).

Gracious Father, we are not worthy, but we praise you for this new life in Christ, revealed to us in your Word by the power of your Holy Spirit. We praise you for keeping us by the same power to live now, in preparation and anticipation of eternity with you. Let love, joy and peace and the other fruit of the Spirit be evidence that we belong to you, now and forever. Let us sanctify you in our hearts, and expect others to ask us what is our hope and joy. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
~ Fran

Suggested reading: GOD is Our Goal ~ GOD’S Plan For HIs People

All the Way My Savior Leads Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEOtFEs0Jos

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