Not that I have already attained, or am already perfect… —Philippians 3:12

It is a trap to presume that God wants to make us perfect specimens of what He can do— God’s purpose is to make us one with Himself. The emphasis of holiness movements tends to be that God is producing specimens of holiness to put in His museum. If you accept this concept of personal holiness, your life’s determined purpose will not be for God, but for what you call the evidence of God in your life. How can we say, “It could never be God’s will for me to be sick”? If it was God’s will to bruise His own Son (Isaiah 53:10), why shouldn’t He bruise you? What shines forth and reveals God in your life is not your relative consistency to an idea of what a saint should be, but your genuine, living relationship with Jesus Christ, and your unrestrained devotion to Him whether you are well or sick.

Christian perfection is not, and never can be, human perfection. Christian perfection is the perfection of a relationship with God that shows itself to be true even amid the seemingly unimportant aspects of human life. When you obey the call of Jesus Christ, the first thing that hits you is the pointlessness of the things you have to do. The next thought that strikes you is that other people seem to be living perfectly consistent lives. Such lives may leave you with the idea that God is unnecessary— that through your own human effort and devotion you can attain God’s standard for your life. In a fallen world this can never be done. I am called to live in such a perfect relationship with God that my life produces a yearning for God in the lives of others, not admiration for myself. Thoughts about myself hinder my usefulness to God. God’s purpose is not to perfect me to make me a trophy in His showcase; He is getting me to the place where He can use me. Let Him do what He wants.

Journal DJR
Good Morning Lord, A popular Success Model has “Begin With The End In Mind” as one of the ingredients for a successful life. It seems that whenever we do that, we are in danger of missing out on the more important issue … having a relationship with you and then just living out of that relationship. Whether it seems “on point” according to our objectives or not, whether we are sick or well…

There’s nothing wrong with “Beginning with the end in mind” … as long as you “hold it in an open palm” and dont obsess over the goal to the point that you miss the things I would share with you if you weren’t so obsessed and focused on your goal. Consider my servant Moses, He was given a goal early on, Deliver the Hebrews from bondage to Egypt. Then he had 40 years of herding sheep in the desert before he was ready to go into the active stage of the vision. Your life may have stages of waiting and preparation as well. Dont give up on the vision if you got it from me. Dont doubt in the dark what you’ve seen in the light.

You may say that you dont have a grand vision, like Moses did. Remember, Moses got in trouble by chasing his grand vision before he was ready. The safe way to have a grand vision and chase after it and not miss it is to make relationship with me your grand vision. Then as we walk together your life will include some things that the world will consider grand and others mundane … but to the extent that you are walking with me and living out of that relationship… it will all be grand.

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