Dear People Whom God Loves,
Entering the reign of God is becoming more and more divinized . . . in other words, being “gifted” (remember it is a free, unearned gift from Love) with more and more God-likeness. What is God like? To be God means to be self-emptying love. Listen to what the Apostle Paul says in his letter to the letter to the Phillippians Ch 2 vs 5-8:
Have among yourselves the same attitude
that is also yours in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.
This is echoed in Jesus’ admonition to his disciples when they were arguing about who would be first in the reign of God. In my paraphrase: “You know how it is among the pagans. Their great ones make their power felt. It shall not be that way with you. If you are going to be number one in my reign, you must become the servant of the rest.”
The image that we have of God is crucial to authentic spiritual growth. If we have a poor image, we will head down a wrong path. If our image of God is a powerful supreme being who is angry, punishing, vengeful, and wrathful toward sinners, our spiritual path will likely that form.
More next time.
Smile, God Loves You,
Father Clay
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