I shared this devotional some time ago, but have been prompted to share it again today. I trust it will be a blessing. Papa recently shared a perspective within me that intrigued and awakened His heart like few things have. You do know that a major part of our birthright as Sons and Daughters of God is having His heart beat within ours? I can sense when His heart is being moved-it is otherwise characterized as a witness of the Spirit.
He shared something like this. Behind much of today’s presentation of Christianity is a theology of "becoming." Becoming more faithful, becoming more spiritual, becoming a better ______. You fill in the blanks. What are you presently “working” on “becoming”? Funny, I thought we lived out of who we are in Christ; not on whom we are “working” to become.
He went on to say, “I would rather see you live from a position of "releasing." Release the God-given grace, goodness, power, potential and life that is yours in Christ! It's the assumption of the 'already' rather than... the 'not-yet.'
Aren’t “we” already, on our worst day, Christ in ______? The older I get in him, the more I have the hope of “releasing” Christ in me, the hope of Glory! I don’t think I have enough time left to “work” at becoming some elusive, religious, pious self. Maybe settling on “believing who we already are in Christ” and getting out of the way (releasing) is a better strategy?
“That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into a new country of grace—a new life in a new land!
That’s what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we’re going in our grace-sovereign country.
Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life (“becoming”) was nailed to the Cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer at sin’s beck and call! What we believe is this; if we get included in Christ’s sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word” Romans 6:2-10, The Message, parenthesis mine.
Baptism into Christ got “the flesh” out of the way. We no longer have to “become”. We already “are” in the resurrected life giving power of Jesus. Be nurtured today by being released into who you already are in Christ!
In the grip of Papa’s life releasing grace! Ron Ross
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