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“[Jesus Christ] and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever.”
Revelation 1:6 (NKJV UK) 

Recently I attended a ‘mingle’ afternoon. It was part of a reunion for one of my former colleges. It was billed as an informal get-together where we could renew acquaintances and friendships with those we once knew but had long separated.

All were anxious to let us know how they had done in life, and how they remembered their time at College with affection. Hearing their stories confirmed and negated some of their claims, but in each case their experiences at College, even if later through circumstances it lost its importance to them, had shaped something of their present lives. Each had made their own ways in the world and had carved individual niches for themselves. Some of them in my days as a mere student were the Great and the Good, the Untouchables or Un-approachables. Now they were seen to be people who had experienced good and bad, just like the rest of us. For some, ill health was etched on their faces; for others their disability was clearly seen. Yet others told of marriage break-ups or dream employments terminated.

In other words, here was a typical cross-section of the population. Life happens. And most of us are actually at our happiest just as one of many making our way with reasonable success in our own fragment of the universe.

For Christians, our individual identity is not marked by how important we might have been, or how clever we were or are, or even what special place we might have once held in a particular organisation. No matter how many reunions we might attend, it is not what we were in our past, but what we are going to become in our future with God that is of importance.

Now we are the children of God (1 John 3:2), and it isn’t clear what we are to become. We know that as far as positions to help and guide others, we are to be kings and priests of our great God. In terms of status or office, we all have the same office, the same status—equality with each other under God. What we have to do, or what we are expected to do in that office, is another matter. That, it would appear, is somewhat dependent on what we have done with what was given us to work with in this life.

I can’t see that reunions will happen much in our future. We’ll be far too busy with the present leading on to some other goal to be as preoccupied with the past as were some at our ‘mingle’.

Prayer
Loving Father, we are inevitably shaped by our past, but help us to look to our future and allow you to remould and reshape us according to your will. In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen 

Study by John Stettaford

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About the Author:
John Stettaford is an Elder in the Reading Congregation of the Worldwide Church of God UK.

Local Congregation:
Worldwide Church of God Reading
Prospect School,
6th Form Common Room
Honey End Lane
READING
RG30 4EL

Meeting time:
Saturday 11am

Local Congregational Contact:
John Stettaford
Phone:  01923-241426
Email: pastor@wcg-reading.org.uk