Sometimes little phrases can carry a big punch. This morning as I was reading in 2 Corinthians these two words grew larger than life for me: we all. I know - it's just two words and they are found in verse 18 of chapter 3. But we all with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory just as from the Lord the Spirit. This verse and phrase stuck out to me as a caregiver this morning because sometimes we can feel like God's second class citizens.
It can be easy to feel that way because we are so separated from the "rest of the world." It's not easy to get to "church" if we can go at all. And if we cannot play by their rules for the most part they just ignore us. It's not really their fault they just don't know how to minister to us, friend us, or love us from where we are. Some teach these passages here in 2 Corinthians as if they are only applying to the pastor, apostle or other ministers... but you know what? Paul said we all!
Preachers, pastors, prophets, five-fold, nor the Pope have any more of Christ than we do! WE ALL are being transformed into the image of the Lord; WE ALL are filled up with Christ. God did not change His intents and purposes for us just because something happened along our way. Caregivers are not second class citizens in heaven. As a matter of fact the one of the last things Jesus said to a person on this earth before He died was to His disciple John. In John 19:25-27 He told John to take care of His mother.
We have no less of Christ in us because of our earthly position as caregivers; and ministers of any sort have no more of Christ in them because of their position. We are all hidden in Him and He is in us period. We may for the most part be ignored by the church, or just not fit in with them like we used to but we can hold our head up high and know just like Job - Our Redeemer Lives! And He lives in us no differently than in anyone else. We are not heaven's second class citizens, we are children of the King and He is walking through this furnace with us as we are still being transformed into the image of Christ here in the earth.
It can be easy to feel that way because we are so separated from the "rest of the world." It's not easy to get to "church" if we can go at all. And if we cannot play by their rules for the most part they just ignore us. It's not really their fault they just don't know how to minister to us, friend us, or love us from where we are. Some teach these passages here in 2 Corinthians as if they are only applying to the pastor, apostle or other ministers... but you know what? Paul said we all!
Preachers, pastors, prophets, five-fold, nor the Pope have any more of Christ than we do! WE ALL are being transformed into the image of the Lord; WE ALL are filled up with Christ. God did not change His intents and purposes for us just because something happened along our way. Caregivers are not second class citizens in heaven. As a matter of fact the one of the last things Jesus said to a person on this earth before He died was to His disciple John. In John 19:25-27 He told John to take care of His mother.
We have no less of Christ in us because of our earthly position as caregivers; and ministers of any sort have no more of Christ in them because of their position. We are all hidden in Him and He is in us period. We may for the most part be ignored by the church, or just not fit in with them like we used to but we can hold our head up high and know just like Job - Our Redeemer Lives! And He lives in us no differently than in anyone else. We are not heaven's second class citizens, we are children of the King and He is walking through this furnace with us as we are still being transformed into the image of Christ here in the earth.
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