It's Gonna Be Okay

Here we are, the followers of Jesus, fully exposed before our Creator. I'd say warts and all, but that's not nearly strong enough. Describing what's still wrong with us as "warts" is like saying the Titanic had a leak. I used to think I was doing okay except for two or three issues I was working on plus maybe a blind-spot or two I hadn't seen yet. Now I'm not so sure of myself, not so sure that my blind-spots don't vastly outnumber my known-spots.

There is so much still in us that is profoundly unlike Him. I recognize now that much of what remains unchanged inside of me is deeply incompatible with eternity in heaven, deeply incompatible with the wonder and perfection of His essence. Yes, if you're a true born-again follower of Jesus, you're fully forgiven just as I am, but neither of us is through being changed. Don't fool yourself: if you're still in this life, you have only begun being changed.


The fact is that there's no fooling God; nothing is hidden from Him. Even seeing us as clearly as He sees us, even seeing the still corrupted, yet-to-be-changed condition of our known-spots and blind-spots, even being well aware of how little real distance you and I have covered and how much further there is for us to go, it's still gonna be okay because He is going to make it so.

Take it to the Bank, the Bank of Heaven. He loves us way too much and paid way too high a price to leave us the way we are now. He will finish what He started. In every moment of every day, He is very much in the process of actively moving all things in that direction. He is not simply rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic; He is rebuilding the entire ship with all new unsinkable parts.

The movement of God in time and space is inexorable, unstoppable, and someday will be complete. It cannot be avoided, side-stepped, or re-directed. I try to understand where He's going with all of this, but only He really knows the whole story. I grab a little bit of it, I think, but that's all it is: a little bit. And that's just another reason why we must trust Him completely, enjoying the mysteries of the journey. Besides, what other real choice is there?

This I absolutely know: He sees our lives and our deaths very differently from the way we see them. He sees eternity and the fullness of His plans. He's excited about those who will be with Him there. Doesn't that make our deaths much more of a beginning than an ending?

Sometimes I think of this life as little more than a pop quiz. It's as though He asks, "Who wants to be with me throughout eternity and who doesn't? You'll get what you want."

Just realize that you can't have it both ways. You can't be unchanged and be with Him throughout eternity. To be with Him like that, you must be a true follower of Jesus, purchased by His blood and fully forgiven. But that's not all. True followers are also willing to give up everything to gain everything. In that process, He will change your very nature, making your essence fully compatible with His.

I can't pull that off. I can't fix myself and you can't fix yourself. He alone is our God of Great Rescue. That's where I put all of my heart's cry, all of my hope, all of my trust, and all of my expectancy. There is hope in no other. Everything was made for Jesus, by Jesus, and through Jesus. Even you and me. That's Scripture.

I will add my words: everything is being remade for Jesus, by Jesus, and through Jesus. That's a good thing and that's just the way it is, so enjoy the journey. I wouldn't have it any other way. Amen.