God’s agenda actually isn’t behavior improvement (though He certainly desires you to know the freedom His righteousness affords you).

It’s not impact for His glory (He does that with or without you).

So what’s He doing with your life?

After the resurrection, and the Church grew, and more and more gentiles were introduced to Jesus, Paul was brought before the philosophers and officials in Athens. He shared that all their pontificating about divine influence was off, and they knew it, embracing an “unknown god” they couldn’t know.

He told them about Jesus – God made known on our terms, in human flesh, and for one reason:

“In Him, we live and move and have our being.” [Acts 17:28]

Jesus didn’t die for nor does He now pursue you doing better at the Christian lifestyle, but that He would be life to you, define you, and live life through you by grace. In a word, Christ is all about union. Maybe more colloquial for us, a great word of divine purpose and focus and power only possible by grace and proclaiming His glory: togetherness.

God wants you to live in Him, and by grace, you do. He wants to define who you are by His activity – His movement in your movement – in Him. It’s all by grace so He gets all the glory.

It’s not for Him you live and move and identify; nor is it Him apart from you moving and acting and causing His glory. 

It’s with. 

It’s in. 

It’s union. 

He lives and died and lives again in you and through you for the sake of togetherness.

Jesus leads the dance by His indwelling life in which you step perfectly and beautifully with Him in an art uniquely yours together. His togetherness with you is like none other in its expression, and alike all others who know Him in it’s power and presence.

You’re His unique masterpiece – moving perfectly in concert with His Spirit.

God is needing you to perfect your life for the beauty He has planned for your life. Instead, He is training you to dance – breath by breath, moment by moment, in beautiful, artful, togetherness with Him.

It’s in Him that you move. It’s in Jesus that you are living. It’s in Him that you have being – breath and self and significance and hope and joy, and more.

So my friend – don’t strive, dance. 

Don’t struggle, follow. 

Don’t stress, rest in the arms of the beloved Lord of Life, King of Glory, Wielder of Grace, Maestro of artfulness, Creator of Beauty. 

He’s dancing today in and through you to the praise of His glorious grace, enrapt in spirit with you.

Together.

(Take a minute to re-read Ephesians 2:6-10 with His empowerment, artfulness, sovereignty working through your togetherness with Him. How do you feel and and what does this look like in your mind’s eye today? Share your thoughts in the comments below…]

ridiculously graced…

-mike.