I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 NIV
The Inspiration:
The first time we hear of Saul, the writer of the words of today's verse, was at another death. A mob gathered to stone Stephen, one of the first deacons in the early church, to death. Saul was there, providing support and encouragement to those who cast the stones. He was a zealous Jew, who wanted to defend the motherland, and he got a mandate to go and arrest others who belonged to the Way. Little did he know that he also had a date with destiny, as he met Jesus on the way to Damascus. The one who pursued Christians had now became the pursued himself. Like Saul, all who seek to have and make impact need to start at the point Saul started, which is a personal encounter with Jesus. This is why it is important: it changes everything you think you know about yourself. It reveals who God is, who you are, what God expects of you and the direction He would have you take to get to the place He needs you to be.
The Contention:
This personal encounter becomes the reference point for all the other experiences that may come your way. Until a man has it, you do not even know who God is, or what He demands from you. It was that encounter that turned Saul into a man who God could use in amazing ways to encourage the early church, and these teachings are still valid for us in this present generation. That encounter makes it clear that it is no longer what I want that counts, but what the owner of my life desires. The encounter makes the cross a personal statement, and all who would lay claim to the life of Christ must have first tasted of the pain of death. How would I claim the life of Christ, if I know nothing of the pain and suffering He went through to secure this life for me? I must die to the sin He died for, so that His life can flow in and through me. Sin cannot be my companion, and I will still lay claim to the life of God. Both cannot mix; they are parallel lines that can never meet.
The Conclusion:
The life of God in me abhors sin. As I depend daily on the supply of God's grace, I have all I need to live right. As I have surrendered to Him, the life I live now is actually His, not mine. The day I gave my life to Him was the day I gave up control over my life. How can I be dead and still be in charge? How can I claim to be dead and still insist on my own way? I may not see or know the full extent of all that I have been promised by God, but I live by faith in the Son of God. I consider the sacrifice He paid for my full pardon, and I do not know anyone who would give His life so willingly for people who didn't care about him at the time. If He could love me with such depth, and go to the lengths He did for me, can I then imagine what it would mean if I reject Him? Who else can plead my case? May the death and life of Jesus not be in vain over my life. May I be a daily expression of the love of God. God's time of favour is here.
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