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HEIRS AND DOGS
” 1 John 3:1
‘ How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!’
A new convert approached Watchman Nee in deep anguish of soul, saying, ‘No matter how much I pray, no matter how hard I try, I simply cannot seem to be faithful to my Lord. I think I’m losing my salvation.’ Watchman Nee replied, ‘Do you see this dog here? He is my dog. He is house-trained; he never makes a mess; he is obedient; he is a pure delight to me. Out in the kitchen I have a son, a baby son. He throws his food around, he fouls his clothes, he’s a total mess. But who is going to inherit my kingdom? Not my dog. My son in my heir! And you are Jesus Christ’s heir because it is fo you that he died.’
It’s deeply liberating to know we are Christ’s heirs not through our strivings for perfections, but simply by means of grace. It’s difficult for us to grasp fully the concept of grace. Maybe this illustration will help: A burglar broke into a house and killed a sleeping baby. If the father tracked down the burglar and killed him, that would be revenge. If the law took its course and the burglar was sent to prison, that would be justice. If the father forgave the burglar, took him into his home, and treated him as his own son, that would be grace. It sounds an absurd scenario, yet that’s what God did for us, even though it was we who killed his son. How about spending some time meditating on that for a while?”
