Born Again

The last two years, I've thought a lot about the Christian phrase "born again" because I felt turned inside out, burnt to ash and actually born again after my re-conversion. Something did change forever inside of me and those who knew me before see it. But the changes that occured were primarily on the spiritual level. On the material level, I find I'm still the same person with all the same challenges. The difference I see in myself, on the material level, is God convicts, guides and comforts me in ways I was not open to before. So, what I'm describing in my last post is not some state of worldly perfection. I don't think that's Christ's aim in saving us. He knows we cannot be perfect in these bodies and if our goal is to be perfect we will waste the gift he has given us. He has made us perfect spiritually through the gift of his death and resurrection. So what does he ask us to do? Surrender to that truth, love him, do his will, and become one with him. Once we have opened our hearts to God's love, and accepted him as our master, he wants us to grow closer in relationship with him. Why? Because he loves us and Love's natural response is unconditional forgiveness and a desire for intimacy on all levels of being. Just as a love based commitment of marriage between a man and woman (the human counterpart to our relationship with God) can, over time, grow emotionally deeper, magnify our purpose and enrich our being, if that is our intention, we can choose to live and grow similarly in relationship with God. There is no greater joy or satisfaction than knowing God.

The gift Christ gives us is free access to God. We can choose that gift or not. In God's embrace, his compassion and unconditional love allows us to gain the strength to forgive and accept our human weaknesses. We can then stop worrying about being perfect, we are already perfect. We can rest in the Lord and open our hearts, without fear, to our created purpose which is to use our imperfect bodies to do God's loving will on earth.