Orange Moon Tuesday, June 9, 2025 "Christ-Centered - Now and Forever"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…

"Christ-Centered - Now and Forever"

 

    It is one thing to say we desire to be Christ-centered and exalting.  It is another to actually do it.

   "Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name" (Psalm 29:2).

   How do we adequately honor One whose infinite goodness led Him to the suffering, forsakenness, and death of the cross of Calvary for our sake?  How do we sufficiently focus the gaze of our hearts upon Him in a lifetime of so much distraction, temptation, and the fleshly inclination to emphasize ourselves?  The Bible addresses these questions in many ways, and with many rays of Christ-honoring light.  Perhaps the one that best begins our consideration involves this present moment.

   "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be glory both now and forever" (II Peter 3:18; emphasis added).

    "Now."  We can only start from where we are in the quest of "To Him be glory both now and forever."  Moreover, no believer who has ever lived could, in any moment, believe themselves to have fully and adequately glorified the Lord Jesus in heart, mind, word, deed, and relationship with God and people.  His infinite goodness and our perpetual need for growth ensure that our first and best response regarding Christ-centeredness involves gratitude for those occasions in which the quest has been fulfilled.  Upon this basis, we then humbly acknowledge the times past we have failed to exalt the Lord Jesus, and the times to come when we have opportunity to fulfill our determination.  God exalts His Son by forgiving us for the former lapses as we acknowledge them.  He further exalts the Lord Jesus by promising His ongoing work in our hearts to reveal the Savior's glory and to enable His shining forth from us.

     "Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).

    The "good work" Paul references involves conformity to the spiritual and moral image of the Lord Jesus (Romans 8:28-29).  Thereby, we serve as moons to the sun (Son), absorbing and reflecting His light in a purpose more glorious than we can ever fully fathom both now and forevermore.  God made humanity to serve as the chief bearers of His beloved Son's character, nature, and way - "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).  To see a human being should be equivalent to seeing Christ as the indwelling light so brightly glimmering within that the illumination cannot be contained.  "Ye shine as lights in the world" declared Paul to the Philippian believers, meaning they served as lamps of the Light (Philippians 2:15).

    Long into eternity, we will better understand that regardless of how brightly we have radiated the glory of the Lord Jesus, the hope of such a wondrous purpose has just begun.  "The love of Christ passeth knowledge" (Ephesians 3:19).  It cannot be otherwise forevermore, and it surely cannot be otherwise in this day.  How wise and understanding to desire Christ-centeredness and His exaltation.  And how wise and understanding to realize how much more we need to absorb His light, that we may truly serve the reason we exist, namely, "the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Ephesians 3:11).  In this moment, let us rejoice that the Savior's infinite glory means that the journey has just begun.  To whatever degree we have honored our Lord heretofore, time and eternity offers the blessed hope to far more glimmer with His glory in countenance, demeanor, attitude, word, and deed.

"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing! And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever! And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped Him that liveth forever and ever."

(Revelation 5:11-14)

Weekly Memory Verse  

   The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

(Romans 8:2)

   

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