There comes a point in every boy's life when he crosses into the deep waters of becoming a man. During his childhood and adolescence he watches his father model strength, character, discipline, love and joy. He benefits by grace all of the noble qualities his father possesses.
Yet also, by grace his father begins to recognize that critical time in his son's life when the boy must step into and develop those qualities within himself. His father then will begin to shift from a place of modeling to a place of discipline. It would be entirely unloving and negligent for his father to do anything less for his son.
The boy has been given a body which has the incredible ability to
increase exponentially in power, strength and creativity. That is grace.
As the boy grows however, he may choose to remain immobile on the
couch. He may mature in some ways but will not develop his full
potential. A good father will correct and discipline his son and a wise
son will embrace and step into the grace of a disciplined life.
The process in our spiritual life is the same.
By grace we have been saved and this is not of ourselves but truly is a gift from God through what was accomplished on our behalf on the cross. It is not by our own efforts that we are saved lest we get proud and think we have accomplished something without God. By grace we are also made mature in purity and love and holiness. By grace God fully intends for us as our loving and attentive father to willingly step into and develop those qualities of which He has paid a great price for us to have. I have to admit, for too long I insisted on laying passively on the couch refusing to grow into the strength God intends for me to have. I am discovering that God is fiercely determined that I would be sanctified and chastened
until I am fully changed into that which He made me to be--because of His great love for me.
Am I ready? Will I kick and scream that my life is not comfortable enough? Will I resent my Father's discipline? Or will I embrace with fierce determination adversity and testing as an opportunity to step into the glory my Father has waiting for those who overcome and persevere to the end.
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