Wandering Crusader #281 By Grace

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain…” 1 Corinthians 15:10

Popeye declared, “I am what I am, and that’s all what I am,” many years ago. Since then, people seem to spend ever more time on concerns about their identity. Christians needlessly grasp for ways to be more than they are and mourn over perceived deficiencies. We do it even though we cannot make one hair white or black, and why?

If what the grace of God has made us seems to be insufficient, it is because we have not grasped all He wants for us. If it seems He wants more than we can give, we are either not trusting the efficiency of His grace or not yielding to it. Christianity is not static. While we live on Earth, we are in a state of perpetual transformation, being shaped by the hand of God.

So, how can a person know that they are? First of all, the scripture describes what we are to be. It also tells us we cannot attain that by ourselves. By grace, God sent His Spirit to live in us and supply us with both the guidance and the power necessary to be all He desires for us at every moment.

Granted, that is easier said than done. That is especially true if we want to understand the why and wherefore of every step before we take it. We don’t need understanding, we need obedience. Obedience is the door to understanding.

Have you ever walked a dog? If he’s dragging you along, he’s not obedient. He’s trying to be in charge. If you’re dragging him, he’s refusing your command and rejecting your leadership. When he’s walking beside you at the pace you’ve set, you are walking in true fellowship. The dog does not know where they are going. Moreover, he doesn’t care. He is walking with his master, and that is enough for him to be happy.

I know God is leading me to Him. The way is easier when I walk in fellowship with Him. His grace is making something of me. I do not see it all. I can see whether what I am, so far, is what He wants.

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Maranatha