LIVING SUNDAY DEVOTION
Text: Colossians 1:27-2:5
Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, resides in all believers, enabling us to live distinctive lives and find our greatest joy in God.
Our union with Christ is an experiential reality! But there is often a chasm between what we say we believe and our actual experience. There is a gap between the inheritance we have been given in Christ and our present experience.
Rankin Wilbourne, in his book Union with Christ, writes:
"Life with God is not like a motorboat, where we are in control of the power and direction. But neither is it like a raft, where we just sit back and are carried along. It’s like sailing. While we can’t control the most important thing—the wind that makes us move—that doesn’t mean there is nothing left for us to do. We have to draw the sail to catch the wind. We must labor to be brought near. How do we do that? How do we draw the sail to catch the wind of God’s empowering presence so we can move ahead in joy and confidence?"
Closing the gap between the reality of Christ in you and your present experience begins with answering a few questions:
Ask yourself: "Do I really desire God above all else?
Unless God is the end that you desire, unless He is the one you seek, any call to “draw the sail” will come across as simply boxes to check, duties to perform, or more items to add to your already long to-do list.
If you can't answer that questions with a resounding "Yes!" then ponder this prayer by St. Teresa of Alila: “Oh God, I don’t love you, I don’t even want to love you, but I want to want to love you”? Can you pray this prayer?
Next Sunday we will move forward on this discussion and look at practical next steps for those who can give an affirmative answer to one of the above questions. In the meantime, I want you to consider the follow suggestions from the book "True Greatness" by C.J. Mahaney:
Text: Colossians 1:27-2:5
Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, resides in all believers, enabling us to live distinctive lives and find our greatest joy in God.
Our union with Christ is an experiential reality! But there is often a chasm between what we say we believe and our actual experience. There is a gap between the inheritance we have been given in Christ and our present experience.
Rankin Wilbourne, in his book Union with Christ, writes:
"Life with God is not like a motorboat, where we are in control of the power and direction. But neither is it like a raft, where we just sit back and are carried along. It’s like sailing. While we can’t control the most important thing—the wind that makes us move—that doesn’t mean there is nothing left for us to do. We have to draw the sail to catch the wind. We must labor to be brought near. How do we do that? How do we draw the sail to catch the wind of God’s empowering presence so we can move ahead in joy and confidence?"
Closing the gap between the reality of Christ in you and your present experience begins with answering a few questions:
Ask yourself: "Do I really desire God above all else?
Unless God is the end that you desire, unless He is the one you seek, any call to “draw the sail” will come across as simply boxes to check, duties to perform, or more items to add to your already long to-do list.
If you can't answer that questions with a resounding "Yes!" then ponder this prayer by St. Teresa of Alila: “Oh God, I don’t love you, I don’t even want to love you, but I want to want to love you”? Can you pray this prayer?
Next Sunday we will move forward on this discussion and look at practical next steps for those who can give an affirmative answer to one of the above questions. In the meantime, I want you to consider the follow suggestions from the book "True Greatness" by C.J. Mahaney:
- Start each day by reflecting on the wonder of the cross.
- Begin your day by acknowledging your need for God.
- Begin your day expressing gratitude to God.
- Cast your cares on God each morning.
- If possible, make your final thought each night an expression of gratefulness for the Savior's sacrifice on the cross as your substitute for your many sins.
It's all about Jesus,
John
