All For Christ

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the Kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.  All things were created through Him and for Him.  And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.  And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the begining, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Colossions 1: 13-18 NKJV

There is a popular hymn which I have often enjoyed.  I still recall the words, "All for Jesus I surrender..."  I had thought deeply about playing this hymn at my mothers memorial service, but chose another.  For this had been one of her favorites as well.  There is a deeper message in this old classic than simply fitting well with music.  For when we contmplate the words, we see just where our focus should be.  I surrender all!  I surrender my pride.  I surrender myself!  For when we accept Christ Jesus into our hearts, it then becomes less about me and more about He.  Gone are the days where the very focus of our lives was just how WE were going to make it through the day.  It is now that we face each and every day as HE, as Christ Jesus.  For it is through Jesus that our "Old" man was put to death, that our lives would be be more about HE and less about WE {Galations 2:20}.  As young christians, our very prayers often reflect where our focus is.  We pray that our heavenly Father would help, provide for and assist us, THAT I would be able to handle whatever it is the world throws my way.  There is a popular saying, that there is "No I in team."  For some of the greatest sports teams of all time were not a one man show, but a combined team effort.  I believe this is a good example of our life in Christ Jesus as well.  For if there be any "I" in Christ, it is in He and not me.  It is indeed a tough transition from a life where we ourselves were the focus to one where our emphasis is on another besides ourselves.

"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."
Galations 2:20 NKJV

One of the greatest lies in history is that we indeed are a independent self.  Well, the truth is that our heavenly Father is the only TRUE self in the universe which He created.  For God has no need to depend on anyone nor anything.  He is indeed the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last {Revelation 22:13}.  Will the tree say to God, "Why have you created me?"  NO!  Everything we see, feel and sense is from God, including ourselves {Genesis 2:7}.  And yet, we often fall for the lie that we ourselves are truly independent.  Don't feel bad christian, for satan continues to hold onto this belief himself.  For satan himself thought himself as greater than He who created him {Isaiah 14: 12-15}.  What we must remember is that our heavenly Father, being the one true self, is not dependent on anything for His existance, He just is and always has been.  Christ Jesus, being the very image the invisible God, God in human flesh, is not dependent on anything or anyone, He just is and always has been.  It is because of the relationship we have with Christ that we claim, "All for Jesus I surrender!"

~Scott~

~The 1980 United States olympic hockey team, their "Miracle on ice" assured them a place as one of the greatest teams in history~