The thought occurred to me that we are like orphans, but it’s not that our parent(s) abandoned us intentionally or by accident, it’s more like we are, in our natural state, profoundly resolute in believing we can create our own truth, in effect, create a spiritual father and mother in such utter rebellion to our Creator that we cannot acknowledge the truth that we are God’s design.
Naturally, we have all come from the our mother and father knowing each other, birthed from our mother’s womb (unless IVF). Parent’s can take credit for the actions that allow for conception, but the process of the development of a human being is soundly in the realm of a Creator God. In other words, as parents we are not responsible for how the embryo developed arms, legs, a heart, eyes and a brain. It was our prevue as a father or mother to design feelings into the little human being or how a fetus might dream when he’s sleeping.
Our orphan condition, it’s different from being a prodigal child. In reference to the parable, a prodigal knows he lives in rebellion to an actual father. A prodigal knowingly and deliberately squanders his inheritance in a wave of debauchery and then, comes to an understanding that the life in his father’s house, even as a slave, if far superior to a life living in the gutter of a wasted life.
Self-Orphanization
In regards to searching for our purpose and meaning in life, one way to conceptualize the end result of this self-orphanization (a term I created for this post) process is imagining that life transforms when we become aware that there IS a long suffering father who is waiting for his child’s blinders to be removed.
The”inner” orphan searches for the real parent, without knowing they are searching for a parent. Having natural earthly parents, especially those who are not in a relationship with God, can further detaches the natural man in the world.
The mastery the world and satan’s influences are strong over our lives. We live in alienation to the Farther but are blinded to the separation. We adopt world truth that teach us to never challenge its truth, to be indifferent to personal being of a Godly creator. Our prideful selves sanction every idea that disposes of the idea of a personal sovereign and holy God.
Nevertheless, the inner self-orphan aspires to greater meaning and purpose, or at least to be at peace with our existence and what we are making out of our lives. Harmony is elusive.
Seeking greater meaning and purpose, seeking a worthy master over our lives, those are evidences we are made in the image of God, but we are not able, in our separation, to attribute those innate desires to the Creator. We take credit for those natures or we attribute it only to how ell we have adjusted to standards of the world.
In our self-centered pursuits, peace is elusive or nothing completely satisfies because in all of our searching and trying out various surrogates. These substitutes can bring a fulfillment, sometimes great fulfillments. Some people classify their great experiences as “mountain top” experiences, and yet the problem with mountain top experiences, is after our vision corrects, we realize we cannot remain there and/ or we begin to see that there is yet another higher summit to reach toward.
Being Called into the Family
As a Christian, when we look for purpose, leadership or mentorship in God through Christ, we are gravitating towards God’s higher goals for us.
Even as a follower of Christ, because we are human, we have a natural bent to deviate from God’s purposes, but as a born-again follower of Christ, we are always in a vital relationship with God through Christ and the Holy Spirit. Because we believe that God’s plans are sovereign and have the ultimate good in mind for lives devoted to God, regardless of life’s circumstances, we are able to be filled with peace associated with the eternal hope that comes from trusting Jesus Christ.
Clarity only arrives once the unseen veil is lifted, the point at which we realize that every peg we have attempted to fit perfectly into a circle have merely been shapes other than circles or not the correct diameter circle.
My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their evil ways, then I will listen from heaven, I will forgive their sin, and I will heal their land. – 2 Chronicles 7:14
14 It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. – 2 Thessalonians 2:14
9 But you are a chosen family, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. – 1 Peter 2:9-10
Unfortunately, the humility that is required to tear down the illusions, the surrogates, for our true spiritual Father can be quite severe. It is a testament to how ingrained our self-righteousness and pride in ourselves are formidable barriers to our obedience and understanding of the truth.
My prayer for you is that the Holy Spirit will come to you, so that through faith in Jesus Christ you will know salvation, repentance, and a peace that defies understanding.
16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, that He may be with you forever; 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him. You know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. 20 On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” – John 14:16-21
For a one minute explanation of the Gospel, watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCP9UcC7BzE
For a review of the Ten Commandments: https://www.challenyee.com/the-ten-commandments/
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Bible passages from the Legacy Standard Version
2-10-24