Original Intent: Working Together

Father God blessed Adam and then brought the animals to him and Adam named them. God told Adam to "be fruitful and multiply", bring the earth under his dominion and domesticate it. Adam, Eve and God were to collaborate in extending of the garden over all the earth. Earth was to be filled with men and women who worshipped and obeyed Father. That was original intent, as was the collaboration of God and man to accomplish it.

Later, when God was angry with His creation, He found Noah, an upright man, that "walked with God." Father God again pursued a collaboration with mankind. "Build me a big boat," were the directions given to Noah. Noah obeyed God, followed the instructions He gave him and the human race was saved.

When Noah and family came out of the boat, he made a sacrifice to God. Father gave new instructions, "be fruitful and multiply on the earth." They were actually very similar to what He had told Adam and Eve. Extend my reign. Fill the earth.

All through the Old Testament Father was looking for "someone to stand in the breach" so the people would be saved. Some times, as with Abraham and Moses, he found that intercessor.

Jesus established the new covenant and the intention hasn't changed. I will never leave you; I will send a helper; we are co-laborers with Christ are promises that confirm our relationship of co-laboring with Father to bring heaven to earth.

My yoke is easy and the burden is light. This is a result of working together.

Father doesn't want us to out there alone. Out there alone could mean that we are doing our own thing, without Father. Out there alone could mean that we are doing what Father desires, but by ourselves or in our own strength. Neither of these are His desire.

Father-God wants us to complete His plan using creatives ideas under His direction and in the power of The Holy Spirit. He wants us to collaborate with Him and He with us.

Teach the world in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20) Let's do it together!

Original Intent: Walking with Father

In the creation of Adam and Eve we see Father-God's direct participation and personal investment; His engagement didn't change as the story progressed.

God made man of the dust of the earth and breathed into Adam the breath of live. Father gave us of his eternal spirit (Gen. 2:7).

God placed Adam in the garden. He didn't send him there or just allow him to find it (Gen. 2:15).

God brought the animals to Adam, and Adam need them (Gen. 2:19).

Father saw Adam's need for a companion so He made Eve out of one of his ribs (Adam's investment in the process).

When Adam and Eve sinned and ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Father didn't abandon them or destroy them. Instead, He promised a savior (Genesis 3:15).

God expelled them from the garden so they couldn't eat from the Tree of Life and permanently alienate themselves from Him. (Genesis 3:22)

The story continues as God warns Cain of the pending failure in his life. Father was concerned. He didn't just reject the vegetable sacrifice and leave Cain to suffer the consequences. Father-God pursued restoration and relationship with Cain (Genesis 4:6-7).

Enoch walked with God. He had a cordial and cooperative relationship with him. They got along together so well that one day, at the young age of 365 years old (everybody else was living +900 years), Enoch just disappeared (Genesis 5:24).

Interestingly, the same phrase "walked with God" was also used to describe Noah in Genesis 6:9.

Father-God's desire to have a personal, intimate and collaborative relationship with humanity has not changed.

Whoever believes in Jesus is privileged to be a son of God, John 1:12.

Jesus no longer calls us servants. He considers us friends, John 15:15.

The work of Jesus on the cross reconciled us to the Father, Romans 5:1,8.

We are co-laborers (1 Cor. 3:9) and co-heirs (Rom. 8:15-17), seated with Christ in Heavenly places (Eph. 2:6).

The original intent continues so don't forget to walk with Father everyday, everywhere, and at all times. Walk with Him. It is His good and pleasant and perfect will.

- How can you constantly walk with Father in your daily life?

Original Intent

God's original intention is shown clearly in Genesis.

His desire was to be a father (Luke3:38) and a friend (John 15:15). He wanted to develop a perfect world, laboring together with man-kind as they collaborated with Him (Genesis 2:15, 19-20). Eternal God wanted the garden to be extended to cover the whole earth (Genesis 1:28), creating a world full of harmony, peace, love and beauty.

I think Ephesians 3:10-11 gives us reason to believe Father still wants us to spread His glory over all the earth. His original intent has not changed: Father's friends cooperating with Him where ever we are to show His "many-sided wisdom" on the earth and in the heavens.

How can you take Father's wisdom to your circles influence?

My 53rd Birthday Thoughts

"In him (Christ) was life and the life was the light of men. John 1:4  Send the light. Shine on me. 

If the Holy One does not reside and reign within me here at home... I would not presume to miraculously encounter him on Iona, or in church, or in the supermarket.

What makes a holy place? What makes a place truly thin? Before all else, he answer lies in our own internal landscape. Indeed, the first and best thin place must be our own souls. When, by the grace of God, that which has separated us from him has been removed, we can encounter the Holy One himself in freedom and friendship. Scripture tells us that the veil in the temple was literally torn in two when Jesus was crucified; we now have free access to the Holy of Holies... If we truly want to be open to God and hope and seek for more of him in our lives, we can find him ever nearer and ever dearer in the thin places of our spiritual landscape. Thin Places: An Evangelical Journey into Celtic Christianity, Tracy Balzer, pp 38,39

Lord, I want more of you.

And the cherry pie was really good. Thanks, Bev.

Recent posts on A Look in the Mirror

Although I haven’t recently posted extended blogs here, I have written several for A Look in the Mirror. Here is a brief explanation and a link to each one.  

The Rock that is Higher – Trust in God our Rock even in difficult times… especially during difficult times.

Celebrate Their Goal – Inspired by the FIFA World Soccer Cup and my four year old daughter, I look at rejoicing with those that rejoice.

Mercy Triumphs over Judgment – How should we respond to those that do wrong, offend us or take advantage of us?

Enjoy.