A Friendly Talk: Walking in God's Principles The Bridge — Knowing the One We Walk With Chapter 9: The beloved Son (Introduction)

As we sit at the table, let us continue now within God’s perfect plan—His beloved Son. In the fullness of God, we reflected on three attributes of His nature: His absolute authority (“I AM WHO I AM”), His divine holiness and judgment (“Be holy, for I am holy”), and His perfect love, mercy, and grace (“God is love”).

And now, as we turn our eyes toward our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ—we have to pause.

Before we continue in our friendly talk about Jesus as the Word made flesh, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and the perfect Gift of grace, we must first stop and grasp the perfection of God’s plan. This is the place where surrender becomes essential. If we try to map out God’s divine guidance using our own reasoning, we will quickly find ourselves overwhelmed. Our natural understanding—shaped by what we see, what we’ve lived, and how we think things should be—will always fall short. The truth is simple: we cannot rise to the height of God’s wisdom.

Isaiah 55:8–9 (NKJV)

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Think about that for a moment. God’s plan is not random. It is not a plan B. It is never uncertain. Every detail carries purpose, and every piece is held together by His unshakeable faithfulness.

But why didn’t God just fix everything instantly?

God certainly has the power to do whatever is consistent with His perfect nature. Yet Scripture shows us that His plan of redemption was not merely about displaying power. Through Jesus Christ, God revealed His holiness, justice, mercy, and love.

John 3:16 (NKJV)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

God is entirely without sin—holy and flawless. Yet Scripture shows us that He grieves over sin and delights in His children. Through Jesus Christ, God did not remain distant from the suffering of our broken world. The Son entered into it.

In Jesus Christ, the invisible attributes of God became visible. His authority, holiness, righteousness, judgment, mercy, and love all converged into one perfect plan of redemption.

When Jesus bore our sins at the cross and cried, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” we see the terrible weight of sin and the unimaginable cost of our redemption. Yet the cross did not reveal a divided God. It revealed the purity of God’s holiness and the depth of His love in carrying out His plan to rescue us.

God’s plan of redemption was fulfilled through Jesus Christ, where His perfect justice and perfect love were revealed together.

So, as we prepare to look closer at the Son, let us step forward with surrendered humility, laying down our limited understanding at the door. Let us look together at the One who is not merely part of the plan—but the very center and fulfillment of God’s perfect plan of redemption.

And through that perfect plan, God was reaching toward someone He loves...

YOU.

Final Thoughts

So, as we bring our time together today to a close, let’s leave the table with one last picture in our hearts.

We just talked about God’s perfect plan of redemption fulfilled through Jesus Christ—and the beautiful truth that through this plan, God reaches toward us. But what does that look like in our day-to-day lives? How does a God of such absolute authority and holiness walk with us when we leave this table? It brings us to a beautiful, comforting question:

Who is the Shepherd?

The answer is clear—it is Jesus Christ. He is our King and our Shepherd—full of authority and power, yet personally knowing and caring for those who belong to Him. In John 10:11, 14 (NKJV), Jesus says:

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep... I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep and am known by My own.”

He is the Good Shepherd who knows your name, guides your steps, protects you, and ultimately gave His life to rescue you. He is the ultimate fulfillment of the beautiful promise we find in Psalm 23:1–3 (NKJV): 

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.” 

When the world gets loud and our own limited understanding falls short, He is the one calling us to follow Him into those places of rest, restoration, and peace. 

As we go about our week, may we always pause to recognize His gentle voice. Let's lay down our pressure in prayer, praise, worship, and simply trust Him to lead us on the path of truth, hope, and everlasting life. 

Remember, our desire is simple: to love God, love others, and walk faithfully in His grace, following our Shepherd—Jesus Christ.

And no matter how many times it takes—yes, again and again—we get up.

We look up. We pray. And we keep moving forward.

Not chasing perfection but bringing an honest heart that loves God's truth.

God's desire is to help us and to hear from us. The closer we walk with Him, the further we stand from the enemy.

So, take a breath.

Take a step.

And trust that God's got the rest.

And remember—God doesn't just guide us with wisdom and purpose; He also blesses us with moments of joy, laughter, and peace along the journey.

😄 A Little Smile

A city man was driving down a quiet country road when he saw a massive herd of sheep crossing the path. He stopped his car, rolled down his window, and struck up a conversation with the shepherd. 

Feeling a bit clever, the city man said, "If I can guess the exact number of sheep in your flock, can I keep one?" 

The shepherd, amused, smiled and said, "Sure, why not?" 

The man looked out over the field, did some quick mental math, and blurted out, "317!" 

The shepherd's jaw dropped. "Wow, that is exactly right! Go ahead and pick your prize." 

The man happily grabbed an animal, zipped it into the back seat of his car, and waved goodbye. But before he could drive off, the shepherd tapped on his window. 

"Hey," the shepherd said with a grin. "If I can guess what your actual job is back in the city, can I have my dog back?" 

Sometimes, our own limited human understanding makes us feel like we have everything perfectly figured out—until we realize we've mistaken the sheepdog for a sheep! Thank goodness we have a Good Shepherd who actually knows what He’s doing, even when we don't! 😄 

A friendly talk- "Word made flesh"

(coming soon)

God Bless.

God’s grace meets you right where you are, wrapping your heart

in a love that never let's go.