AND THE CHILD GREW
(The book ONE is no longer in print, but has expanded to the ONE Trilogy: One Ekklesia, One Truth, and One Life & Glory)
We’ve often heard the term, growing up spiritually. Perhaps, someone has asked you, “How are you doing spiritually?” or “How is your spiritual life?” What really do these statements/questions mean? In Luke 2:40, it was said of Jesus:
“And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.”
World over, the permanent Christmas image in the hearts of people is that of a little babe in a manger. The world hardly takes cognizance of the fact that the baby grew up and fulfilled a purpose. The world only needs a cute little baby who, to them, is an object of entertainment, recreation and merry making. The assembly of believers however should not lose sight of the important fact that the baby grew up and became strong in order to fulfill the eternal purpose.
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"For believers, now is a time to reflect on how much the baby has grown in us. Is he still the helpless babe or is he now a young man being about His Father’s business?"
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Interestingly, the story of the birth of Jesus also mirrors for us how the life of God must develop in us from babyhood till it comes to full maturity. That life of God is the person of Christ Jesus Himself; He said, “I am… the Life” (John 14:6); “This is eternal life; that they may know… Jesus Christ…” (John 17:3). For a believer in Jesus, the Christmas season is a good time to reflect on how much the baby has grown in them. Is he still the helpless babe in a manger or is he now a young man being about His Father’s business?
So how does life develop and grow in believers? The whole of Part 1 (chapters 3-6) of ONE discusses this exhaustively. Therein, we see how the growth of the spiritual life is similar to the growth of physical life. It explains that when believers are born anew and experience the divine eternal life, they need four spiritual essentials to cause growth of this wonderful life in the believers: nutrients, air (environment), exercise, and sleep. Without these four items, life cannot survive and thrive. But if they are present, all life will spontaneously grow, reproduce, and mature. In the same vein, by enjoying these four essentials spiritually, believers will be healthy and strong. They will be able to go through the challenges of everyday life with joy and in victory.
As this season's festivities wind down and we prepare to enter the New Year, why not make cultivating a strong and healthy life in the spirit a priority. Praise the Lord!
by Temidayo --