“Arms stretched out wide, barely
hanging on to life, and left to suffer on His own.” He came to serve and
save the entire world, but somehow ended up alone. He calls us to walk a
vertical life...one aimed toward Him. Perhaps that seems a little less
demanding and more deserving when we think about the road He walked alone
so that we would never have to take even one lonely step. “Because of all
the blood an tears He shed, we never have to know that kind of loneliness.”
(from Never Walk Alone—Brian Free)
The “Christ life” is possible
because of Jesus. It wouldn't just be lonely, but it would be impossible
to succeed without Him.
This life I’m speaking of is a
beautiful and precious gift Christians enjoy. The joy isn’t always
obvious. In fact, some days you really have to dig deep to see the real
life that’s “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). It’s in this
hope that our lives truly begin.
Real life is hidden. Real
happiness isn’t usually found lying around for us to accidentally stumble
upon. It is found in Christ when we decide we “cannot keep on sinning
because [we have] been born of God” (I John 3:9). It’s
found when we go the extra mile to serve others and make bold stands for
Christ.
I know there are so many things that
block our view of real life. There are negative, hateful, and prejudiced
people. There are societal pressures to conform instead of
transform. Then, we stand in our own way when we decide to focus too much
on any one aspect of life in Christ. It’s easy to get so burdened with
details of faith that we neglect important matters like “justice and mercy and
faithfulness” (Matthew 23:23). When I’m tempted to get tunnel vision, I
need to be reminded that our lives shouldn’t just be about Christ. Christ
should BE our life! “When Christ WHO IS YOUR LIFE appears...; ...To live IS Christ…”
(Colossians 3:4; Philippians 1:21 emp. Added).
Which direction is your life taking you?
Don’t let anything or anyone keep you from the life with Christ in God.
It is the only life with hope and promise.
——Darrell Powell
