Judges 13-15 | Luke 6:27-49

“When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” Colossians 3:4

If we are a Christian, how do we walk and experience the fullness of Jesus Christ? How do we avoid falling back into old pathologies? The Apostle Paul gives us the answer: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:1-4).

Undoubtedly, when there is an absence of peace in our life and when sin starts to beset us, we lose sight of who we are called to be. Hence, Paul’s admonition is to remember that “you died.” He exhorts, “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry…. you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (Colossians 3:5, 8-10).

After we put to death our “old self,” what is this “new self” supposed to be? Paul tells us, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3:12-14).

As believers, we are to set our hearts and our minds on things above, remembering that when we receive Jesus into our lives, we have put to death our own lives and now live for Christ. Whatever we are experiencing in our life, whatever we are going through in this moment that might have us overwhelmed, afraid and shaken, we are to remember that we are “hidden with Christ in God.” Our God is bigger than the circumstances that we are facing. He has grace for us, even when we make mistakes and fall short of His glory.  When we fix our eyes on Jesus—the One who not only gives us peace but also shares His peace with us--everything else pale in comparison.

May we live into the fullness of Jesus Christ, remembering that He is our life and one day, we “also will appear with Him in glory.”

PRAYER

Beloved Jesus, You are my life. I look forward to the day when I am with You in glory. Praise You, Jesus!