I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ~ Galatians 2:20 (NIV)
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Something has just occurred to me. I just put two and two together -- wow! When Jesus said in John 15:13 that "Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend...", is it possible he was speaking of our laying down our lives in sacrifice for Him, our best friend, and not just giving ourselves for our fellow man?
Paul got it. He talked in Galatians about dying to self as Christ died on the cross . . . of giving up everything and being completely enveloped in Christ . . . of being indwelt by Jesus, the Living God. Because Jesus set the example of laying down His life for His friend Paul, Paul lays down his life for his friend Jesus.
So, where are we on the self-sacrifice scale, huh? 40%? 64%? 83%?
Holding on to what self desires seems to be the epitome of "living" in our human eyes -- entertainment, leisure, sexual pleasure, travel, food -- but are we missing out on real living? Are we being duped in our understanding of what it means to really live? Real living comes through real dying . . . dying to selfish wants and pursuits, dying to our own ideas of truth, dying to self-righteousness (which, in reality, is no true righteousness at all). Giving all that up for a life that is embedded and infused with Jesus Christ. We die, yet we live. A divine mystery, indeed!
I have come so they can have life. I want them to have it in the fullest possible way. ~ Jesus, in John 10:10 (NIrV)
Jesus says this, and then He says to die. As a seed dies before it brings life again in the Spring, so we die to self, so we can live in Christ. Pretty radical concept, huh?
I say, go ahead -- be radical. Be a seed. Die for Christ, and live through Christ. That is real living!
Love,
Joelene
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