“It’s urgent that you get this right: The time has arrived—I mean right now!—when dead men and women will hear the voice of the Son of God and, hearing, will come alive. Just as the Father has life in Himself, He has conferred on the Son life in Himself…” John 5:25a. Lazarus heard Jesus’ voice in his tomb, and although he was throughly dead, he came alive. That’s the kind of God we serve, when HE speaks – everything changes, even if it is impossible – we need to learn how to hold fast to what He says to us.
We also need to think about Who He IS – particularly when things in our lives are going badly. Sometimes the Lord allows things in our lives to bring out certain qualities, and to nudge us deeper into Him. Human beings like to live their lives superficially, but the safest place is right next to Him. Otherwise we can fall into the same sin that tempted Adam and Eve. Perspective is about knowing who we are, and to do that we must first know Who HE is, otherwise we can end up in presumption. And presumption will put us onto thin ice, remember, they fell in! If we are to be like Him, we will need His perspective – His way of looking at things.
Despite the many rumours flying about today, we are not equal with God. But Jesus Christ IS and He became a man and stood up in our place. Philippians 2:5-7. “In your relationships with one another, HAVE THE SAME MINDSET as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Remember, Almighty God already took the initiative on our behalf – HE CAME HERE.
Jesus Himself said this: John 8:55 “Though you do not know Him, I know Him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know Him and obey His word.” Knowing God’s ways means we obey Him. These are key things in the process of being transformed – Jesus chose to live that way and so should we. Here’s a handy helpful hint: When you read the bible ask yourself – ‘What does this teach me about Almighty God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit? What can I see here, that shows me about Who They are? What I am reading that I can DO?’ .
The way that Christ thought about His Heavenly Father while He was here on earth was remarkable. Jesus knew He was here on assignment from God and yet He acted with the same humility and authority He died to give us. He limited Himself! Human beings are not all that, we’ve been elevated by the One we keep company with. Giving Him glory is not just about singing worship songs passionately – it is about the way we revere and honour what Jesus told us to do. We are only made great by the Company we keep.
Father God wants the same kind of relationship with each one of us that He had with Christ. I know we are members of a huge family – but the Lord dearly loves each one of us … specifically. This world may never ever know your name, but God knows it, and He is proud of you. Despite who we are and what we have done, and sometimes keep ON doing … He sees you and I through the blood of Jesus. Perspective means I know to my core, what was done for me. I cannot be arrogant because I know who I really am, and who I would be without Christ.
Now, there is no need to be ashamed in His Presence. Personally, I find that shame is a big red flag in my life. It tells me that I have done something that I am not sure about, and now I am making excuses for it. I need to go and get alone with Him and get His perspective, His POV, on what has happened. And I don’t have to be ashamed or afraid when I do it. When we go into His Presence our AIM is to be washed, changed, actively transformed, by what we are reading and what He says to us. Whether we are reading the bible, or simply praying, the Holy Spirit will remind us of what Christ did, and why He did it. Then gratitude takes over. Gratitude is a great perspective, and true generosity is another one. God has been incredibly generous to us, so, with His help, we need to be incredibly generous to others, no matter what they have done.
Perspective highlights the way He thinks, as well as showing us how to think. I need to know what He thinks, so I can be transformed by looking at Who He is. That’s what the bible is for, to show us who Father God is, and what He has deliberately planned and done on our behalf before we ever came into this world. Biblical perspective changes our POV. I don’t give two cents about what I think anymore, I want to know what He thinks about it! And I probably won’t value whatever someone else thinks either, no matter how important it seems, unless they are saying something that is in His book!
The things of this world fade into insignificance when we have His perspective. We need to take on His perspective desperately, because HE HAS THE WORDS THAT LEAD TO ETERNAL LIFE. That starts right here, right now. Christians live their lives eternity minded – that is true perspective. 👋🏻
