Update #127 - Heaven's Maturity

"I had to feed you milk, not solid food, because you were not ready for it. And even now you are not ready for it" I Corinthians 3:2

Three of the Twelve Apostles

Roberts Liardon is a prolific author in the Christian arena. He started publishing at age 17 and to date has over 54 books in print…pretty impressive for a man of 45! He is a known historian and has the ability to extract the meaningful from the copious. I like to read his stuff because he tells the truth - when penning a great leader’s biography he doesn’t leave out the pitfalls, the stumbling blocks, the vices – nor does he gloss over them. He brings it into full light and pulls out “lessons learned” in a non-judgmental, instructive way.

He also injects some paradigm shifting thoughts into his works. Not that I always agree with what he writes…but it does give me cause to think. In is book We Saw Heaven he stated “each person’s age is reckoned according to his or her spiritual maturity, not their physical maturity on earth. When you get to Heaven, your age will be what you are spiritually…”

Whoa.

Paul talks about the Corinthians only being able to handle the spiritually simple…they couldn’t handle a meal; they were on milk. They had the basics, once, twice, three times and still couldn’t move to solids. They were stuck in childhood – in infancy actually - a state of constant care and leading. Someone had to continuously feed and nurture them. They couldn’t be left alone to shop and discover the best items, to prepare their own meals, or to clean up after themselves. They were babies.

Where are you on the continuum of spiritual infancy to adulthood? Do you take the time to seek and discover and feed off what you find, or do you have someone else do that for you? Are you ferreting out truth from your Bible or do you listen to the pastor, Bible teacher, facilitator share what they have learned and you digest that?

Are you able to self-monitor and put boundaries in place to keep you from sin, or does someone else have to remind you, reprimand you, and put rules in place to keep you sin-free?

I am nearly 40 physically but what am I spiritually? If I had to assign a number I would find it difficult. I don’t think I’m spiritually / physically equivalent because I am not mentoring any spiritual teenagers. I don’t think I’m a decade younger either – I am still trying to establish and live out my purpose. So, am I spiritually twenty-something? I have a grasp of who I am in Christ, I know right from wrong and live that way, I can prepare “meals” for myself, but, I still feel naive about a lot of spiritual things.

Where are you? If Liardon is right and we are our spiritual ages in heaven, how mature are you? Are you caring for others or are they caring for you?

Updates:

Living – We are still a go for the sale on June 16th. The contractor is working to make the buyer requested repairs, the last escrow docs are in, and we are just waiting for the construction details to finalize.

Work – we are in week two of our trip. Week one ended with huge Global Day of Prayer celebration with about 5,000 people locally and hundreds of thousands joining world wide. It was broadcast on GodTV and Brett and several other “Societal Transformers” were interviewed. About a third of the team left Cape Town over the weekend…but we are still 19 strong! We are focusing on client visits this week – praying for them, encouraging them, and consulting if needed. To read what we are up to visit HERE. to see Andrew Wu’s pictures of the first week, visit PHOTOS.

Travel - I am back at the B&B for the last week and am rooming with a good friend from Seattle – so nice since I hardly ever get to see her! So fun!

Requests:

Living – that the sale will commence as planned.

Work – For all our upcoming travel: Chennai, Lagos, Connecticut, LA, Texas are just a few of the places the home office team is heading. Also for our time in Cape Town (team unity, transportation, safety, etc.). And for the Venture prep in India (client recruitment, team unity, travel safety, ability to hear God’s directions).

Travel – for our return home; that we won’t suffer heavy jet-lag, that the transition would be smooth, and that what we learned in Cape Town will stay with us and not fade away.

Fundraising – if this blog or any of the past entries have touched your heart please donate toward my trip to Africa. To contribute, please click here.