March 9, 2010
“You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly.” Ephesians 1:4 The Message
Called to a “life of if” …?
If you are following Jesus .. you’ve been called to the “life of if”. It is a way of life that walks on the ‘same road’ and goes in the ‘same direction’ with all the other saints .. holy ones .. and Christ-made-alive-ones. The world you live in tries to tell you that your life is your own and you are free to walk on any road and in any direction. It isn’t true and it doesn’t last when you are on your own. You’ve been called to the “life of if” … and it is a life of following Christ .. loving others even when you’ve run dry. It is the hardest life to live on earth because you can’t live it in your own strength for very long. It takes the Spirit of Christ .. living in you .. giving you a new heart .. creating a life that cares for others .. and learning to love with a deep-spirited friendship. If you are a follower of Jesus … you are outwardly and inwardly called to a life today that is like no other. It really isn’t about choice because you realize that this same Jesus has loved you in the darkest places of your life .. loved you at the deepest places of shame and guilt .. and has lifted your life out of darkness to walk in His light. You don’t begin this life with every space filled in. Christ begins with His life in you and He begins to fill in your life with all the possibilities of what your life will become if He is real in you. If you trusted him .. He is real. If you’ve believed in Him .. He is real. If you’ve placed your life at a Cross .. He is real. If you’ve opened your heart to His resurrected life and love for you .. He is real. It only takes a moment …
“If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care — then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends.” Philippians 2:1-2 — The Message
Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to the Fellowship of If following Jesus and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)
