I’ve been crucified? Nuh-uh! I never felt the nails, never struggled to breathe then shifted to relieve excruciating pain in my feet then my hands. Nope. Never.
Oh? That means my inner self? Me on the inside?
I really like the Complete Jewish Bible’s translation of Galatians 2:20:
“When the Messiah was executed on the stake as a criminal, I was too; so that my proud ego no longer lives. But the Messiah lives in me, and the life I now live in my body I live by the same trusting faithfulness that the Son of God had, who loved me and gave himself up for me.”
Not too sure I like the idea that the essence of me was executed on the stake like a criminal. Do any of us like thinking that we committed a crime? Who among us is willing to say “I deserved to be executed for my sins.”? Yeah, me neither. But it’s the truth. We have all broken God’s laws, which is punishable by death. Eternal death. Forever death. Eternity with zero presence of God.
But look Believer! Accepting that crucifixion as ours, seeing ourselves hung on a tall wooden cross, accepting what Jesus did for us there, means that now, He lives IN us. Our old criminal self no longer lives. Our old ego is no longer in control. PLUS, in this same fleshly body, we can fully live and do so by the same trusting faithfulness Jesus lived in His.
WHAT?!?
Yes. That faith and trust that Jesus had in God and the plan set before Him, is accessible to us.
Oh, you’re not seeing it? Not feeling it? Do you have to see if the chair has all four legs on the floor before you plop down in it? Do you have to check under the hood to be sure the car has a motor before turning the key? If God said it, it’s truth, whether we see and feel it or not. Start living it, Believer! It’s yours.
Those last few words, “…who loved me and gave himself up for me.” WoW! Just wow! Jesus is the Son of God. He loved you and gave Himself up for you. See, the soldiers didn’t take Him from the garden, He went willingly. He delivered Himself into their hands FOR YOU.
When you think your mistakes are beyond help, remember these words. When you think you’re stupid, fake, unworthy, unseen, unloveable, un-anything, come back to these words and say to yourself, “Jesus loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Think of what He went through for you. If He thought you were unworthy, do you really think He would have done it? Nope.
Let’s examine us today. Are we living this old-self-crucified life or are we holding on to ego and pride? Are we walking around in our illusion of control, putting ourselves above God? Time to take inventory and get rid of the stuff that doesn’t belong to a child of the Almighty.
Coffee, Bible, Journal.
