Rise; Sit!

Rise; Sit!

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1 KJV

The Context:

Paul would always write about the journey of faith, and its value to the human experience. All who want to enjoy the fullness of God need to meet Him where He is, and seek for Him where He can be found. The book of Colossians covers all that is of the flesh as well as all that is of the Spirit. There is no middle ground, where you may straddle the fence and make no commitment; at all times, you are either of the flesh or of the Spirit. I have a choice to make of who I will submit to: the flesh or the Spirit. Both are parallel lines that can NEVER meet, no matter how far you draw them or how much you try to align them. Both come from opposite spectrums, are governed by opposite laws and have opposite eternal realities. It is therefore important that I get all information that will help me make a choice, and I have to make the choice while I still have time. 

Both choices will end up in eternity. The issue is that one is eternal life and the other is eternal death. A time comes when the only thing that will matter will be what I did with the life that I have now, and the choice I made. There is an expectation for all who are alive and both choices have demands. There is a code of conduct for all who align with either choice. It will be foolishness to demand actions that align with eternal life from someone who does not have the Life of God in him, who is Jesus Christ. Who do I have in charge of my life? The answer here will speak into eternity. 

The Message:

In light of the above, what is expected of me? Today's extract says that if indeed I have risen with Christ, it means that I first died with Him. The one who does not first die cannot lay claim to the new life of God. We want the benefits of the life of God, but we do not want to pay the price for that life. Jesus went the way of the cross to secure this new life for me; I cannot afford to treat it with levity. If I know the value of what I have received, I will handle it with care. 

My new life will demand new things from me. The things that become important to me will look like the new life I have. If indeed I am risen with Christ, I cannot have anything to do with the unfruitful works of darkness. If I am risen with Christ, my pursuits and priorities will align with my new position. Don't just rise like dough mixed with yeast; rise as someone who knows his new position and knows where he is headed. Don't rise as someone who is puffed up with pride because of what s/he has or knows; rise as someone who knows and appreciates the value of all that has been given. Am I soaring with eagles' wings into the place where God has prepared for me, or am I labouring under the bondage of self-help and ignorance? 

The Response:

I must audit my thoughts and life and ask myself if my present life reflects my current position. Do I look like someone who has died, now raised to life and grateful for all that has been received?  There is a place where my life must take inspiration and direction from, where my life must take its daily leading from, and this is from Christ, who is seated at God's right hand. It can't be from the multitude of books, or the depth of my bank account balance or the quality and quantity of my circle of influence. None of these things that secure the kind of life that God wants for me.

Christ has conquered sin, death and the grave, and He invites me to come to Him, so I can accept all He has done and all He has for me. His life must be my life; what He loves, I must love and what He hates, I must hate. That is the summary of my new relationship with God. He waits for me to come to Him; my eternity will be glad He did. His time of favour is here.