I’m Not In This Realm

I’m not really here.

Although it looks like I’m sitting in a recliner with my laptop and coffee, that isn’t the reality.

Remember the scene in The Magician’s Nephew by CS Lewis where rows upon rows of noblemen and women sit in thrones? They appear incredibly lifelike, but they are still, quiet, frozen in time. Their robes are exquisite and their heads are adorned with crowns, but they aren’t awake.

That’s me!

I’m one of those noblewomen, only I’m not seated on a throne of stone in the dying world of Charn.

I’m in a glorious, different realm, somewhere in the heavenly places, where colors go beyond the prism and where fragrances intoxicate the mind and where joy bubbles up into laughter from our toes.

But my noblewoman body is sitting very still, statuesque – waiting.

 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:6

I’m sitting with Jesus in the Heavenly realms. That’s my identity. Because of Jesus, I have a seat, and I am there, even though for a little while I’m on assignment on earth, walking in the good works He’s prepared for me.

It’s like the Matrix or Agents of Shield Season 4. This earth as we know it now is very real in the sense that the actions here have eternal consequences, but it’s not truly real in that my position and identity and worth and value and place do not come from anything down here. That’s because I’m already seated with Christ in the Heavenly places.

One day, I will finish my role on earth. And in that moment, the motionless noblewoman in the heavenly places will open her eyes and take in a giant breath of free, sinless air. Can you see it? Others already awoken will cheer and offer me a hand to stand. I’ll lift my eyes above the crowd, and being filled with awe and praise and wonder, I’ll finally see my Lord, the King. I’ll bow humbly in his presence, and then run to embrace Him as my Father.

This makes all the difference! I have nothing to prove here on earth. I am free to live fully, each day, in the knowledge of where my identity really is placed – in the identity that Jesus graciously gave me on the cross. I am His. I’m seated with Him. And He’s working inside of me to accomplish all He’s assigned me to do.

Will I do it all perfectly? Oh no. But that’s what comes from being on a mission in this sin-filled enemy territory, with attacks on all sides and the effects of my own selfish desires and temptations still lingering. We’re in a war, but my position doesn’t rest on my performance. My position has been settled.

And oh glory! For ages and ages and ages to come, God will lovingly pour out on us an immeasurable amount of love and kindness from the riches of his grace in Christ Jesus.

Life gets hard. Let’s remember where we, as believers in Jesus, truly are. Our position is settled. Our seat is saved. Our eternity is sure. So let’s live free for Him now, until He returns.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2: 1-9