Tuesday, October 16, 2018

God Wants Ownership of Us, Not Partnership with Us

Image may contain: 3 people, including Allie Piippo, people smiling, people sitting
Linda, Allie, and Dan
Henri Nouwen once wrote that the basic question of the spiritual life is "Who do I belong to?"

This is the question Esther faces as she reads the message from her cousin Mordecai. "Will I remain in hiding and continue to identify as a pagan (as Persian 'Esther,' which means 'concealment'), or will I become 'Hadassah' (her Hebrew name) and confess I belong to God's people?"

This is Paul's captivity to Christ. "I have been set free from sin, and have become a slave to Christ." (Romans 6:18) Paul understood his new slavery not as bondage, but as freedom. "It is for freedom that Christ has set me free" (Galatians 5:1)

I am now in Christ. I am my Beloved's. Leonard Ravenhill writes:

The price is high. 
God does not want partnership with us, 
but ownership of us.

Leonard Ravenhill