Pastor John,
Often, Beth and I speak of being in the one true “witness protection program”. Jesus knows how to hide us from the mob. Now we just need to be good witnesses. Only real witnesses get hidden; even this earthly government knows not to waste their resources hiding anyone who isn’t a real witness.
I really enjoyed what you pointed out tonight about us humans, again, having backward thoughts; that is, for us to think that having Christ in us, is better than being with him, in His presence. That was true for the disciples before Pentecost, but now the opposite is true. He is in us now, but it will be greater for us to be with him when he comes.
After you said that this evening, I could just imagine Jesus’ disciples barely able to contain themselves as they proclaimed their joy of being in His presence, and Jesus then saying to them, “Oh, but what greater joy, for me to dwell in you !” And then, Jesus’ present disciples – us – striving to receive the Spirit and have him in us, and obtaining it, and then we, proclaiming our joy, for “Jesus, now dwells within!”, only to have Jesus to speak again, with a smile on His face, and say, “Oh, but what greater joy for you to be with me, in my presence!”
Ha ha! I just have to laugh when I consider it. He is so wise and we are so not. But we are loved, and He sees us through. We don’t know anything, even when He tells us. We are always wrong, even when we are right. And more and more, I see that He is always right, even if He contradicts Himself without ceasing. His words make truth! The truth doesn’t even exist, until He is IT, at that moment in time. He doesn’t line Himself up with the truth, He creates it by existing. And He permits our effort to count for something, out of sheer love for us. Otherwise, all that we do is useless and wrong, even if it is useful and right 🙂
Thank you. Good night.
Jerry