Week of March 22, 2024
“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.” Galatians 2:20
The cross is a historical reference point reminding us that our God is merciful. He paid a debt He did not owe because we owed a debt we could not pay.
We, too, have a cross to carry. The question is, how can we carry a cross? What is our cross? Paul said once again, "I have been crucified with Christ." Becoming a Christian means a death-like surrender of our life to Christ. What are we dying to? Our rights, our way of life? We are saying I will do and go and say and serve as He wills. At that point, Christ is able to express His life through our life to others.
The cross becomes the basis of our relationships. Our time, energy, and resources are at Christ's disposal, all for others. We forgive because we have been forgiven. People don't have to measure up because we didn't have to measure up for God to love us.
We take the troubles and frustrations of others as Christ took up the cross. We find our new purpose in discovering ways to relate people's problems to the power of God for deliverance and victorious living. The crucified life is not an easy life, but it's the life we have been called to live.
God Bless, Pastor Rick