Unlike many human relationships, we do not have to persuade God to love us: He already loves us.  There is nothing we can do to urge Him to love us more (1 John 3:1).  But we will not know His love until we repent of the self-love which is at the root of our sinfulness, and receive His forgiveness (Luke 24:46-47).  When we do so, He makes us righteous children of God (Romans 3:22).  It is a hugely privileged position.  And yet the fullness of this undeserved honour is not always apparent to us; nor do we often look like the finished masterpiece in our Father's house.

But the truth is that when we receive Jesus, we become children of God (John 1:12).  That is the start of the transformed life.  The conclusion of our transformation will be seen when Jesus comes again.  But right now, His Spirit assures us that we do belong to God as a child born into the family or legally adopted.  We become His responsibility, and He has pledged Himself to make us like Jesus.  On the final day when the second coming occurs, the transformation will be complete.

When we see Him, we will not want to be anything other than like Him.  All the trappings and toys of this life will have no significance. So, between now and then we need to prepare ourselves and practise purity by obeying Him. 2 Corinthians 7:1 says, "... since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."  Every act of obedience puts purity into practice.

Like loved children who adore their father and want to please him, so the believer starts from the security of being fully accepted in God's family.  But that must not give us licence to please ourselves.  We are already on track to be like Jesus; so we need to get practising.  Like a musician who practises intensively for the big performance and the athletes who challenge themselves every day in order to win a prize, so the Christian should be eager to choose to learn to live like Jesus (2 Timothy 2:4-6).  That is also our primary witness in the workplace because it is evidence that a child of God is getting ready for King Jesus.