Raised!

Raised!

Therefore if you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, sharing in His resurrection from the dead], keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1 AMP

The Inspiration:

The issue of identity is critical to the discussion around expectations. You cannot place a demand on anyone who bears no allegiance to you, and you cannot demand the responsibilities of citizenship from someone who is not subject to your authority, territory or government. As it is in the physical, so is it in the spiritual. Will God demand anything from a man who owes him no allegiance? Actually, by virtue of creation, we all owe God a duty of obedience and submission, but because of the power of freewill, we made a decision to rebel and claim 'independence'. We struck out on our own, trying to do things by our own power, wisdom and influence, and still refusing to return to God even after all our schemes had failed. Just as man had been given the power to choose, and he chose to rebel, so is the responsibility to choose to submit to God also given to man. God does not force Himself on anyone, or go against the exercise of my freewill; he will respect my choice, even while supplying grace and information to enable me choose the right. 

The Contention:

This is why walking with God is so liberating, at the same time, calls for conscious review. Those who have made up their minds to submit to God have been raised from the sinful nature and given a new nature. The picture presented here is one of a new position, different and higher than where one was before. The rising is also into a new relationship with the One who makes it all possible: Jesus. No other person can raise you over and above the power of sin, because no other person has paid the full price for sin like Jesus did. By and through Him, we come into a new life, with new pursuits, principles, priorities and purpose, and by extension, into eternal life at the end of this present earthly phase. The new life starts from the cross and ends at the feet of Jesus in eternity. Anyone who will end with Jesus must walk the path he did. I cannot be comfortable around sin and expect the grace of God to keep abounding. I cannot choose to remain in sin and still place a demand on the new life only available in and through Christ. 

The Conclusion:

The one who has surrendered his life to Jesus has a different mindset and focus. The one who has given his life to Jesus thinks of heavenly things, because the focus has changed. The things of the world can no longer hold much attraction, because in the light of the glory of God, nothing in this world can stand. The earth's treasures are but a pale and fading reflection of what heaven offers. There is no demand on earth that can exhaust the resources of heaven. There is no request on earth that the power of God cannot grant, as long as it lines up with the will of God. The man who is focused on the things of God is not moved by the schemes of men; he is only concerned with pleasing His commanding officer. He is not concerned with men's views or opinions or positions, but just on pleasing the One who now holds all His heart. He does not need the applause or approval of men, but is content with carrying the presence of God anywhere he goes. At the end, whoever it is I have focused on and followed closely will speak, and eternity will be sorted. I do not want to get to the end of my earthly sojourn and discover that I had followed the wrong master. Eternity is too long a time for me not to be sure of where you will spend it. God's time of favour is here.