I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life 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
Scripture reading: John 15:1-11
When God fulfills the promise of the new covenant by circumcising our hearts and filling us with the Holy Spirit, it is no longer we who live, but Christ Who lives in us. Just like a vine reproduces its own life in its branches, so Christ reproduces His life of glorifying the Father in our lives when we, through faith, clothe ourselves with Him, through the Holy Spirit.
Participating in God’s mission for His glory by making God visible through having Christ live in us with His Spirit will lead to a cruciform or cross-shaped life. This involves denying ourselves, taking up our cross and following Jesus. In losing our life and following Jesus, we will find it in His death and resurrection. However, this will lead to a participation in the sufferings and death of Christ.
Participating in God’s mission for His glory by making God visible on earth through having Christ Jesus live in us with His Spirit, will also lead to a resurrectional life that bears witness to the resurrection of God’s new creation. This resurrection life of God’s new creation is a manifestation of the wholeness of a life of love for God and one’s neighbour. However, like leading a cruciform life of daily putting off the old self in Adam, leading a resurrectional life of daily putting our new self in Christ will involve participating in the sufferings of Christ. Yet, these sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18).
Suggestions for prayer
Praise God for the blessing that Christ now lives in us with His Spirit when we put Him on through faith. Ask your heavenly Father to help you consider it a joy to suffer together with Christ.
Rev. Dick Moes is pastor emeritus of the Surrey Covenant Reformed Church in Surrey, BC. He and his wife Elsina have five children and 14 grandchildren. This daily devotional is also available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional.
