Colossions 1: 15 - 17 NKJV
I was talking with a good friend this week and we were both lamenting on the way things used to be early in the early days of our christian faith. More specifically, how it is that we felt we needed to defend our heavenly Father with fire and vigor. After all, we were christian soldiers and we were in a spiritual war...right? It's no secret that our accuser is active day and night seeking to destroy Gods children {1 Peter 5:8}. Knowing this, more than a few believers are more than ready to jump in to defend God with scriptures in hand. I get it. The trouble with this approach is that I've seen it from both sides now, and all it has offered is conflict and bad feelings among those involved. Then I began to think, does Christ really need me to defend Him in such matters? He who is our all in all, does He need me to offer up even the weakest of defenses on His behalf? If you ask me, we've missed the boat here. For it is Jesus who is all too often working in our defense. What is it which Christ requires from me? Can anything I do increase His glory or deity by one inch? My focus should not be on what I might do, but on what it is Christ has DONE. At the end of the day, this strips the attention from me and places it squarely where it belongs, right with Jesus. I have been witness to far too many well meaning christians who chose to give themselves glory and attention in their labors for the Father. To these people I would say, what is it that you could you do without Christ? What am I without Christ? Wasn't it God who breathed into me the breath of life? {Genesis 2:7} There is nothing which Christ Jesus has done for me for which I can take credit for. It is not by my efforts alone by which my salvation is complete {Ephesians 2:8}. If not for Jesus, all would be lost.
7“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”8Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”9Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
John 14: 7 - 9 NKJV
I keep in mind that Jesus, knowing that without Him we would be lost, sacraficed all that we would be free. Certainly I weep when I think of what Jesus went through on my behalf, but I'm dragged back to earth as I remember why it is that He even needed to walk to that cross. For it was because of me and my former nature by which Christ became sin so that I would not suffer the punishment of all I had done {2 Corinthians 5:21}. It was through His own love for me by which He endured the insults and nails offered to Him. How is it that I can even think of claiming even part of the glory for what it is He has accomplished? For without Jesus I cease to exist. It is not by me...but by HE by which all things exist. I once had a friend ask my why it was that I placed such importance on Jesus. Well, where would I be if I didn't? I am not that delusional to believe that I can thrive as a independent self apart from my creator. Yet many a christian train of thought has advocated for this very idea. It seems that all too many people are ok with the knowledge that they are seperate from their heavenly Father. I'm not ok with that. I yearn for the moments each day when I can step aside from my daily life and rest in His presence. It is in His presence which I live day by day {Galations 2:20}. Where would you be without Christ? Would you be better off? What is it that you could do which would eclipse the works of Christ? To me there is no mistaking that without Jesus I am simply a man without the love and mercy of Jesus. There is no other way.
~Scott~
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