CONSIDERING HEAVEN

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, RESERVED IN HEAVEN FOR YOU, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:3- 5)

Devotion 8 of 12

EXPANDED STEWARDSHIP

In this world, we are charting out the borders of our reign in glory. There our stewardship will be expanded. This is suggested in some of our Lord's parables. The parables of the talents and the pounds, for example, declare this concept of expanded stewardship. "Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord" (Mat 25:22-23). Note that "the joy of thy Lord" is associated with reigning, not singing! We will play a role in the subduing of the Lord's enemies.

It is true that He will work through us, but we are integral to the process. That is part of what is involved in the expression, "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under YOUR feet shortly . . . " (Rom 16:20).

The glorious liberty of the children of God

Scripture apprises us that the impersonal creation is anxiously awaiting the coming liberty of the sons of God. "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, no willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God" (Rom 8:19-21).

Sin brought bondage to the entire natural order. In some way, that order is groaning under the weight of corruption. It is anticipating the revelation of the sons of God--the time when "death will be swallowed up in victory" (1 Cor. 15:54).

This is "the glorious liberty of the children of God." It is freedom from every form of bondage, restriction, and handicap. It is release from the curse. Imagine an eternity with no setbacks, no handicaps, no restrictions, and no limitations. No wonder it is called "glorious liberty."

There will be no downward pull, no temptation, no need to resist the evil one. That is liberty! No more recalcitrant body. No more mind of the flesh with which to contend. No more memories of miserable failures. It is a "glorious liberty," or one that will be open and manifest. We will be free to express ourselves in word and deed. Our praise will be consistently beautiful, and our works will reflect the glory of the Lord. It will be "glorious liberty," or unquestioned and acknowledged by all.

John wrote of this liberty from the viewpoint of what would NOT be there. He wrote to a persecuted church, and it must have sounded pleasant to their ears. How sweet these words to those who labor under sundry impediments. "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (Rev 21:4). "And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve Him" (Rev 22:3). That will be the eternal Jubilee, the "glorious liberty of the children of God."

There are occasions here when we taste of this liberty. It is in limited measure, and at sundry times, but how pleasant it is! These are glorious times, when our confidence raises to a high level, and our joy is "unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Pet. 1:8). The world, with its troubles, fades away, as we exult in the Lord, and joy in the God of our salvation. The "glorious liberty of the children of God" will be a time when that experience will never fade, but only increase. It is the time when swords will be beaten into plowshares, and spears into pruning hooks. It is a time when we will "study war no more" (Isa. 2:4).

PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank you through Jesus Christ for the anticipation of glorious liberty and unhindered freedom. Grant me grace to fight a consistent fight and run a consistent race with the coming glory in my eye.

-- TOMORROW: WE SHALL SHINE AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN --