Over the Labour Day weekend we visited my son's farm and were introduced to a new "member of the family" - a two week old piglet, who through tragic circumstances is alone in this world. Now my daughter-in-law has been waking every few hours nightly to feed her goat milk from a giant baby bottle, heat up a hot water bottle to keep her warm and of course, take her outside to wee-wee-wee. "Piggy" as she is called, is loved by our grandkids and she follows them around running on her short little legs to try to keep up.

On the same trip we also visited with one of my nephews we hadn't seen for some time.  I was struck with how much more he looks like his dad, my brother, who himself as he grows older is looking more and more like our dad.

Reflecting on "Piggy's" journey, I was reminded about something that Jesus said to Nicodemus, a religious leaders of that time:  "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3). Nicodemus was confused by this statement, partly because in his understanding of the Bible, if everyone would just learn and obey all the required rules and rituals, then God's kingdom would come. But Jesus knew that without a radical transformation we humans can never be part of God's kingdom or family, nor will we ever resemble God, just as "Piggy" will never be mistaken for one of my grandchildren.

This is not because God doesn't love us or want us to be part of His family. In fact just after telling Nicodemus he had to be reborn, Jesus said "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." (John 3:16-17)

Jesus, as God Incarnate, was fully aware of the daily struggle of being human. He was tempted just as we are and surrounded by people suffering pain and brokenness. Each of us are created in the image of God and yet unable to embrace that identity or to break the cycle of choosing our own self-interest rather than trusting God with our lives. Jesus did what we could not, through His death and resurrection. He saved us from the consequences of our separation from God (sin) and ushered us into a new eternal life. 

As wonderful and amazing as that is, it is only the beginning of God's plan for us. We are not just an improved version of ourselves, we are a new Creation, with new hearts, renewed minds and a new purpose for living.  (2 Cor. 5:17-21, Ezekiel 11:19-20, Rom. 12:2, John 12:26)

We are not like little "Piggy" trotting behind her adopted human siblings, never able to truly belong, we have become true members of God's family, co-heirs with Jesus, and citizens of heaven (Rom. 8:16, Eph.2:19). We have been freed and restored for the purpose of glorifying God by carrying on Jesus's work here are earth, proclaiming His name and revealing God’s love through our words and actions. (Eph. 2:4-10)

The apostle Paul put it this way: "All of us, then, reflect the glory of the Lord with uncovered faces; and that same glory, coming from the Lord, who is the Spirit, transforms us into his likeness in an ever greater degree of glory." 
2 Corinthians 3:18 (GNT)

Little "Piggy" will sprout wings and fly before she walks on two legs and looks like someone in our family. The promise of the Gospel is that when we turn from our old ways to follow Jesus, his resurrection power transforms us completely forever. Starting in this life and completed in the next, the family resemblance will be unmistakeable.

Over the next months we will be thankfully celebrating lives transformed by the power of Jesus Christ as encountered by the people of Outreach Canada Ministries. We invite you to join with us in being, making and multiplying disciples of Jesus Christ.

Bible References: 

• Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new hascome! Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.  That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

• And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.  (Ezekiel 11:19-20)

• Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

• The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:16)

   

• So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, (Eph.2:19)

• But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do. (Eph. 2:4-10)