This mom told me of a doctor who is giving special care to her child. He asked her questions about what developmental steps the child had taken as a baby. This child unfortunately missed out on many of the foundational steps he needed to grow upon. Sensory processing delays in eating and speech developed as a result. Thankfully, this doctor is helping him go back and lay the foundation he missed out on as a baby. He is following objects with his eyes, crawling, and working on other motor skills. As a result of this therapy, he is progressing and talking in sentences now. He is accelerating quickly because someone saw a need to go back and dot the " i's" and cross the "t's" so to speak.
Something turned in my spirit as I talked with her that day. At the age of 32, I am feeling a need to grow up. Not only am I searching for answers from God, but deciding who I am and what I really believe. I have been in church my entire life. I functioned and sometimes successfully. But I came to a point where my spiritual growth was at a stand-still. I could no longer move forward. Yes, I experienced God. I saw His spirit move on many occasions and was even used by Him to speak encouraging words to others or pray fancy prayers. I could do church and religion, but in my heart, I was hurting. I stopped growing.
I realized that day that what I had missed out on was my spiritual foundation. For those of you who became a believer in Christ later on in life, you were able to start new. I know that it may have been hard at times to leave your old life behind, but at the same time, I am sure that you felt freedom from the pain it caused as well.
In my case, it was quite different. I grew up knowing Jesus. I was so small that I cannot recall an age or date that I gave my life to Christ. I grew up around christians and was emmersed in a culture of church functions and activities. I got my worth from being good and doing good. I could quote scriptures and tell others about my faith. But I never needed or appreciated or acknowledged my need for grace...until I could not live up to the perfection I expected myself to attain. Thank God He sent me crashing at his feet.
I need Jesus.
I cannot do this on my own any more.
The good Doctor began to show me that I needed Him to rebuild my foundation...I could no longer grow without it.
I took a look at a familiar passage (one I dismissed because in church they said it was for "baby" christians) and was amazed!
1 Peter 2:2-3
Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment. Now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness.
The very next verse blew me away!...
You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God's temple.
He is the foundation.
Jesus.
Plain and simple.
So, I have seen my need to see the good doctor a little more lately. He is rebuilding my foundation, teaching me some things that many of you already know, yet somehow I skipped. I am being very vulnerable here because some of you will see the delays in my development as I share....but it's okay if it helps someone else.
In that same chapter of the Bible, I read that I am a living stone that God is building into a spiritual temple (a place where He also lives). If I am the temple of the Holy Spirit and Jesus is my cornerstone (my foundation), what steps will I need to go back and learn in order to have a stronger foundation?
Just as the doctor evaluated this little boy, I have had to spend some time in my spiritual evaluation. I have had to first realize a few things about myself and my dependance upon the doctor through this process.
I have found out a few essential keys to developing a strong foundation I would like to share:
1) I have to trust Him and give Him honor (1 Peter 2:7)
My doctor knows what He is doing and I have to participate with Him and trust that He
can help me. In my case, I have to stop trying to do things myself or depending upon
others to give me the answers only He can give.
2) I am chosen by Him to learn from Him (vs.9)
Just as this little boy had to be evaluated to enter this program, we have to realize that
we are chosen and accepted into this faith. "You are a chosen people, You are royal
priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession." He loves me and delights in helping
me be all I'm created to be.
3) I have an identity in God. (vs. 10)
"Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God's people. Once you received no
mercy; now you have received God's mercy."
My friends' son will now qualify to do things other kids his age can do (like go to
preschool) because he has received the help he needed from the doctor.
It is only by His mercy we are saved. Therefore, we can no longer depend upon
the world's system to identify who we are (our success, money, beauty, position). We
belong to God and He will define our success as we learn our identity is found in Him.
4) I must participate with the process by obeying Him. (vs.7-9)
I am not like I used to be. I am changing and growing. Verse 8 says that those who do
not obey God's word will fall, but verse 9 says, "you are not like that, for you are a
chosen people." Learning new things can be hard, at times we might regress or make
mistakes, but His grace is enough and will help us get back up...even if we are not
perfect. Our obedience is better than sacrifice and he honors that....even when it hurts.
Even Jesus obeyed when it hurt.
For a long time, I have desired to truly make a difference for the kingdom of God. I want to see lives changed by the power of the cross. Yet, without a strong foundation built on Jesus the chief cornerstone, I can lead others away from the cross instead of to it.
Verse 12 says, " Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world."
When our foundation is built on Jesus, our Good Doctor, others will see the changes in our lives (like I've seen changes in my friend's son.) The more time we spend with Him, learning and growing, the more others will know we have been in His presence.
If you are like me, needing redemption, grace and to just breathe again...."cry out for nourishment" and you will receive the pure spiritual milk you need to grow into a full experience of salvation.
