I’m taking a risk in writing this very vulnerable post – my objective is not to assume nor judge.
First Generation vs Second Generation
I was the first person to accept Jesus in my household. I have never been exposed to the bible growing up – and for me, I had firsthand perspective of God from my journey with Him.
I have been asking people “when did you accept Jesus in your life ?” and struggled to understand why Christian transformation was a gradual process for people who have grown up in Christian households.
In my limited interactions to talk about the topic, what I’ve learnt is that everyone’s perspective of God is built differently. For the second generation Christians, their perspective of the Father is built on what they observe as they grow up – their positive and negative experiences.
For the first generation Christians like myself, my perspective is simply – before Christ, I was a sinner. After Christ, I immediately began to see the internal change in my life that was a result of me following Jesus.
I can now relate with the people who see the Father through the lens of their Christian experiences since young.
Hopes (Quality World) vs Experience (Perceived World)
The one thing that I think is common between generation of Christians is this:
The frustration/pain that we feel when the life we see in the Bible is not the life we are currently experiencing.
For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
Romans 8:19-22 NIV
The difficult part for me as a pre-believer was accepting that I wanted a relationship with God. When I accepted Jesus into my life, it was with heartfelt knowledge.
For my friends who know Jesus with head knowledge – I say this gently without judgement – I imagine the frustration of knowing the promises of God in the bible, and reconciling with exceptionally painful experiences, without the “first love” personal experience with Jesus.
I am guilty of taking my first experience with Jesus for granted – the anecdotal evidence of my faith.
Seeing His Power vs Seeing His Heart
“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
Matthew 11:27
When I see an answered prayer, signs, a breakthrough in my life, providence, and even the arrival of my life partner – things that are out of my control – I see His power revealed clearly.
If I just take His power at face value, I do not know the Father’s heart.
What could He be thinking of as He did this for me ?
What was His emotions as He did this for me ?
I would only be knowing Him for His power – and end up only knowing Him when He acts.
I risk cherry-picking verses here – there might be more appropriate verses
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.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Philippians 2: 5-11
“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”
Luke 2:49
Jesus’ heart was for the Father – a Son who cared more about the Father as a whole.- instead of just focusing on His power.
And if I reflect on my own walk with Jesus… there has been times where I do things, because compliance with the Father was important to me. I basically behave in fear, or grudgingly “you win because you are God lah” attitude.
And I think its okay to have a reverence for the Lord. To also know His authority over me.
But is there a time and space for me to also say… for example… “Disciple-making is important to the Father. I agree with Him, and Disciple-making is important for me too.” without any connotations of obligation – accepting a quality world picture from any else’s life is one sure way to build a healthy relationship.
My theory is this: If I continue to accept things that matter to God, to be important to me as well, I am learning to be like Christ – not just towards others, but also towards God.
And when my actions and thoughts for the Father are similar to that of Jesus, I have hope that my feelings and my human spirit would catchup too – and be able to feel… for example: compassion for the lost as Jesus did too.
And when I have a total behaviour that is similar with Jesus… I think I can confidently hope for more of the Father to be revealed to me, because I am now seeing the Father through a lens that is similar to Jesus,
If more of You, means less of me, take everything, Lord.
In Jesus Name,
Amen.
More Like Jesus
I felt personally ministered as I listened to this song. The lyrics were the inspiration for my post.
This world is dying to know who you are
I think it applies to both prebelievers, and believers struggling to understand and hold on to the faith.