The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. -Lao Tzu
The journey of any spiritual life begins with one step. However, spiritually speaking most would understand that step to be taken on the part of human response to God’s invitation. The trouble with this thinking is that it recognizes humans as the originator of their own spiritual freedom. To be sure, the first step is taken by God as he offers his gift of prevenient grace, or grace that comes before grace. And the wonderful thing about life is that one’s spiritual journey is not simply a step, but in fact a journey, and what’s more a journey filled with “milestone” steps. Each milestone can be recalled and celebrated, each milestone is a reflection of God’s grace and one’s response in obedience.
One such milestone is that of justification. The gift of justification is God’s pardoning of sin and therefore grants freedom to those who experience it. This photo is one I took of my son, starting down a hiking path in our home town. I believe it encapsulates the promise and posture that justifying freedom produces in those who receive it. Furthermore, the “spring” in his step resembles that of a man free from sin.
Fortunately, the journey does not end with a simple pardoning. Instead, one’s path leads to a supernatural transformation, what the Apostle Paul refers to as a new creation.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17
New birth is preceded by justification. It is a moment of adoption and regeneration by the Holy Spirit. This photo is one taken from a video of my daughter’s baptism in 2018. It is a symbolic representation of the new birth that takes place in the life of one who is transformed and made new in Christ.
As the journey continues one finds that justification and new birth open the door to a life of sanctification. We are not simply justified and then waiting for the next life. Instead, God has redeemed us and then invites us into a process of taking on the nature and character of his son, Jesus.
My final picture is yet another Warner original. I took this photo of my youngest son next to a measuring stick. The photo is a clear representation of his continued growth process. Sanctification is the process by which humans become holy, like Christ. Of the three milestones shared, this step can be the most difficult to identify with an exact time, as it is often a process. However, this is a celebration step none the less!
In a deeper sense, this last photo also represents that there is a relationship between my son and God, on this growth journey. My son can make decisions to promote healthy growth through diet and exercise, among other things. While at the same time God’s perfect-will response is to continue to grow and develop Sawyer in his healthy Christlike nature. The amazing thing about God’s love is that he has granted his creation with the gift of free-will. He does not merely force us to love and follow him, we are embraced with a choice.
He has extended the invitation and the grace for your journey, will you take the step?
Congregational Spiritual Formation 