“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the [life] which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
[Gal 2:20 NKJV]
It’s Sunday morning, and we just watched the pastor of the church we follow give an amazing message based on the first part of Romans. [Jack Hibbs, Romans 1] Most of my prayer posts have come about through other ways, but today his message spoke to me. The message was all about how, when we gave our lives to Christ, we gave up our old selves and became fully Christ’s.
How does this relate to me, or even you?
This past year has been a huge struggle, not just for me but for many others I know. Many of us, especially those of us living in states that have been locked down to the brinks of collapse, and that are still not opened back up, have wanted to run. The lawlessness and evil is more than we can handle on our own.
I have spoken often in this last year of leaving where we live. Dreaming of an RV so we could go cross country and immerse ourselves into a state, county, or city where everything is open and the fear mongering has been downgraded. Why? Because I am not allowed in anywhere without adornment over my breathing apparatuses. I am not able to wear them, but businesses don’t care. They are either in on it or they are afraid of being fined or they have succumbed to the fear being pushed. So, my life consists of our house, the block on which we live, and one diner where I am allowed in because the owner knows us and we are friends.
My life has become a daily struggle. Oh, I know my struggles are nothing compared to those who have lost livelihoods – jobs, businesses, homes. To me, though, it is still a struggle. I have prayed that God would intervene. However, I have also tried to remember to add in those prayers that whatever decision He makes it be His will and not mine.
Today’s pastoral message was all about how, when we gave our lives to Christ, we no longer lived for ourselves but for Christ. We are His bond servants – : one bound to service without wages also : slave. [Webster’s Dictionary] . That means we no longer do what we want but rather we do His will. We were bought with a price, and we work for Christ. We are His slaves because we choose Him over the world. For me, that means letting Him use me here, not somewhere else, but where I am now, in this moment for as long as He chooses.
The apostles knew exactly what Paul meant when he wrote in Romans about being fully Christ’s and no longer our own. [Rom 1:1] All of them, except John, died for Christ, literally died at the hands of men for preaching the Gospel. They gave themselves fully to be used as God willed to bring the Good News to an unbelieving world.
As I continue to maneuver through these days, not knowing what will happen next or how much worse things may get, I must remember that I am Christ’s. I am His to use as He chooses to further His work in my little world. It is not God’s desire that I escape but rather to live for Him in our current environment unless He so chooses to change it.
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here [am] I! Send me.”
[Isa 6:8 NKJV]
