Sometimes it takes years for us to fully grasp something and there’s more to unpack when we think we have grasped a truth.
For the last two or three years I have had regular dreams, scriptures and words from the Lord which at the time seemed unrelated. When I look back I realise they were connected. Like the words of CS Lewis in The Last Battle, the call is – ‘”Further up and further in! “‘
A few days ago I was pondering on some of the themes that I mentioned above which include my most intense dream I’ve ever had that I can recall and made a note of. I have written about this in four posts under the main title of Freedom Dream (Parts 1-4).
In my reflections I was considering the People’s prayer, the one that Jesus taught his disciples more usually known as the Lord’s prayer. I was struck by the word YOUR in that prayer. As I reconsider this whilst writing, the fact that the prayer commences with OUR is also very striking. Jesus is being very inclusive here. Remembering that he’s talking to his disciples, those who follow their master.
These thoughts led me to what I think is key. The most important truth of all! It’s the glue that holds quite literally, metaphorically and realistically everything in the world together. All other things we enjoy from God The Father, come out of this. It is union! One small word with so much wrapped up in it. Not just any union, it is union with Christ! This one thing and it’s a massive thing! This one truth alone I want to bank my life upon! I want to recommend it to you.
This truth like I say is not only spiritual, something that is out there so to speak, it is here. Of course it is conditional to some extent. I will try and make that clear what I mean. Are you in?
Listening to two women conversing on a Podcast the other day she brought this whole concept of union with Christ back to me. I had been considering the concept a few years back. When she said we have been united with Christ the words became real. She was explaining how often we say as well meaning Christians in the sinners prayer ‘invite Jesus into your hearts’ to become a Christian – this is something I did when I was a lad. It was very real to me. But have I or we made Jesus too small by using those words?
In Romans 6 the Apostle Paul says this:
For if we have become identified with him in the likeness of his death, certainly also we will be identified with him in the likeness of his resurrection,
Romans 6:4–5 (LEB)
This is only one verse but this is my starting place. This verse uses the phrase identified with twice. That phrase has also been translated as united together, united with, one with, planted together in, to name a few other phrases. We could go as far to say that it’s about partnering with God. It’s about being co-heirs, co-labouring, co-dependency and very much about communion. None of this union can really be effective without some kind of common union or communion. Communion is participation or sharing something in common.
We talk about relationship with God in Christian circles have we really pushed into that? I know I haven’t – may our desire for that increase. That would be a good prayer to pray.
Jesus’ prayer in the Gospel of John goes into the detail. A prayer is a kind of glorified wish. It is expressing a desire from the heart. In this instance Jesus desires that we are one with him and the Father. Not only that but that we are one with each other. I would go as far to say that he means both personally and corporately. You can’t really have one without the other.
‘The Father and I are one‘.
‘…the Father is in me and I am in the Father‘.
Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given to me, so that they may be one, just as we are.
‘…that they all may be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you, that they also may be in us…’
John 10:30, 38 and 17.11,12,21 LEB
Where we were separated from God in Adam or through Adam we have now become reconnected to God OUR Father through Jesus. That which separated us we know as sin. We acknowledge and agree with what Christ has done for us and live and walk day-by-day with him. Like Jesus said we need to abide or remain in him to have our life sustained and renewed. We become more human as we copy or imitate Christ and feed on him daily. By not living like this we step outside of him and go back to walking in our old natures – the Adam way not the Christ way.
‘For since through a man came death, also through a man came the resurrection of the dead. For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own group: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ’s at his coming,…’
1 Corinthians 15:21–23 (LEB)
And just a sample of this famous passage:
‘”Every branch that does not bear fruit in me, he removes it, and every branch that bears fruit, he prunes it in order that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I in you. Just as the branch is not able to bear fruit from itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me…”‘
John 15:2–4 (LEB)
This great truth is expressed in Col 1:27, 28. I like the Good news version.
God’s plan is to make known his secret to his people, this rich and glorious secret which he has for all peoples. And the secret is that Christ is in you, which means that you will share in the glory of God. So we preach Christ to everyone. With all possible wisdom we warn and teach them in order to bring each one into God’s presence as a mature individual in union with Christ.
Colossians 1:27–28 (GNB)
The secret is to be shared with all people. A secret here is not like we understand secret today, something that is meant to be kept hidden – more the opposite meaning, that which is meant to be revealed! It has its counterpart in apokalupsis which I have written about here.
The work of the Father is to keep us in his name we need to remain in him. He does the keeping – we need to do the staying!
When you join yourself to Jesus by believing in him and what he did for you, one big family welcomes you in. It’s not just an earthly family but it’s also a heavenly one containing all those who have gone before, those who also have believed in Jesus and his good news. And those who are part of his heavenly council – a vast array of spiritual beings.
It might be obvious to say but you are unable to partake of union unless you actually participate in it. One needs to share in it before one can actually appreciate all the benefits that union affords.
This truly is the best friendship you can ever have!