Our world screams for authenticity. Christ in you is the hope of glory. If you’re not bringing Christ to the world, you might as well stay home. But don’t worry— you are bringing Him! “For God wanted them [His people] to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you” (Colossians 1: 27 NLT). This was God’s plan all along, yet as Christians we’re confused about our role. We think we should be like Jesus, and strangely, most of our interpretation of that revolves around being nice. We think of Christlikeness as being more like Mother Teresa or Grandma. It’s exhausting, it’s discouraging, and we fail at it. Why not think of Christlikeness more as being like William Wallace in Braveheart? Because if it’s about being sweet and nice, then how in the world are we going to even think about doing the things Jesus did? And if you think doing the things Jesus did was hard, try being perfect. Matthew 5: 48 tells us to be perfect, as our Father in heaven is perfect. Yet only God is perfect. We’re not invited to be like Christ so much as actually to be in Christ. This is not meant to overwhelm us, but to encourage us. Apart from God we can’t do anything anyway, so we can stop trying. Stop it! Stop trying, and let God. God’s plan was not that some people would encounter God and everybody else would just hear about it secondhand or thirdhand from that kid who always got straight A’s in class. God’s plan was that people would meet Christ themselves, in you and me. Newsflash of the day: “Christians trying to be like God” are not the hope of the world. It’s Christ in us that’s the hope of glory. What if you really knew that your only job was to love and receive love from God? The love of the Father isn’t simply a flawless attribute to be imperfectly imitated; it’s a relationship of perfect intimacy that you’re invited to fully experience. God wants absolutely nothing less than to fill you with Himself and make you shine with His presence through the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16: 7 NIV1984). Dawkins, Robby (2013-06-15). Do What Jesus Did: A Real-Life Field Guide to Healing the Sick, Routing Demons and Changing Lives Forever (pp. 162-163). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Jul 2013 03:37:53 +0000
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