Your destiny awaits!

Destination - the purpose for which someone is destined.  Really we can thing of being "destined" as being set apart for a particular purpose - we have a "use" defined for our lives.  Our "destination" is "in Christ" if we have entered into relationship with him.  If not, our "destination" is rather uncertain.

^25-27But now you have arrived at your destination: By faith in Christ you are in direct relationship with God. Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe—Christ's life, the fulfillment of God's original promise.

(Galations 3:25-27 The Message)

The awesome point of this passage is the "direct" relationship we have with God through Christ.  The Apostle Paul has spent better than half of this letter to the Galations explaining the purpose of the Law of Moses as "pointing to" the destination he now reveals - life with God - direct, no middle-man involved.  In other words, we have IMMEDIATE access which is PERSONAL in nature - affording an opportunity for us to be frank and real with God.

For some, being "real" with God is a very frightening prospect.  Yet, if we have been brought into "direct" relationship with God through the work of Christ on the cross, we have no need to fear this relationship.  It is like having an "all-access" pass!  We can be straightforward - totally candid with God - because he does not judge us harshly for our wayward thoughts, our missteps, or our lack of trust.  He accepts us "IN" Christ.  Pure and simple.

Paul brings up another interesting point about baptism - it was not just a time of washing us up for a fresh start.  If it was, we'd be finding a place to be "baptized" every day!  In baptism, we make a "fresh start" - one which involves acknowledging our intention to live according to the truth God reveals in his Word.  The best of intentions does not get us to our destination, though.  It takes purposeful steps from point "A" to get to point "B".

This is where being dressed in an "adult faith wardrobe" comes into play.  In another of his letters, Paul directs us ever so carefully to consider how we "adorn" ourselves for the daily "warfare" of living according to the truth God reveals.  He calls it "putting on the whole armor of God" - utilizing the weapons of defense to repel temptation, avoiding the damage of compromise, etc.  He reminds us to take up the offensive weaponry, as well - utilizing the Word of God (the sword of the Spirit) to expose untruth, speak truth into dark times, etc.  How we are "adorned" matters.

Paul reminds us of the importance of being "fully dressed" with the wardrobe we are given.  If we bathe (baptism) - we also need to be clothed (applying the truth we are given)!  We often stop at baptism - we need to move on!  God brings us into direct, open, and frank relationship with him - IN CHRIST.  In turn, we are to enter into the enjoyment of this freedom, clothing ourselves with all he provides - our "adult faith wardrobe" found in Christ!