We are sometimes like the man who got lost in the mountains, was rescued, and spent the rest of his days talking about the miracle of his rescue. He forgot the reason for his trip through the mountains was to get to Seattle.
We can get stuck in the middle of our walk with Christ and forget the goal.
Christ has come to live in us so we can move on to live with Him.
The reason we are to deny self and pick up our cross is to follow Him.
We are to give away what we have so it will be ours.
We have to let what we sow drop into the ground and die so it can grow and bear fruit.
We die with Him so we can live with Him.
We are buried with Him so we can be raised with Him.
We are hidden in Him so we can appear with Him.
We are to take our minds off the things of the flesh so we can focus on the things of the spirit.
We are to “leave” so we can “cleave.”
We are to put off the old man so we can put on the new. As George MacDonald wrote, “The man, who does not house self, has room for his real self, God’s idea of him.”
We come from things to come to him.
We can get so bogged down in denying, dying, being buried, resisting the bad, that we forget the second half of the equation – being raised with Him to walk with Him.
Our purpose is to be a unique expression of the life of God to the world around us. We are to be an original not a copy of someone else. Our final destination is not just to get to heaven, but to be with our Father. Without Him, heaven is just another pretty place – empty and lonely.
The really good news is we don’t have to wait to die to be in heaven with our Father. We can be with him now in every activity – working, being with family, watching football, or shopping for Christmas. As C. S. Lewis said, “I have never lived anywhere but heaven.” Heaven is a parallel universe right where we are now. We can live with Him every new morning and every new year.
How? Just turn to Him where you are and say, “Hi Daddy.” This simple act will connect to the ultimate dimention in God’s creation.
May you enjoy the walk with Him this new year.