Scripture
20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Galatians 2:20 NASB
Observations
Crucifixion was the worst kind of torture. Paul said that he had been crucified with Christ. He was a dead man walking. The life, his desires, his hopes, his journey, were all disrupted to now live for Christ. Everything was turned upside down. Everything changed the day Paul gave his life to Jesus.
How would my life be different if I looked at my life that way? What would truly cause me any issue in this life since I now live for Christ?
Paul said the life he lived in the flesh, he lived by faith.
This is hard to do if I am trying to hold on to my identity in this world. But the minute I’m free of that, the minute that portion of me dies and I start living for Christ, there is clarity, peace and joy. Don’t hold on to both this world and the life of faith! There is no comparison to living for Christ. And you can know that only when you finally die on the cross.
Application
I understand that dying to myself is a process. It happens day by day as I submit myself to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
There is no magical spell, no silver bullet. Being crucified with Christ means that I move closer and closer to God. This happens when I read the Bible, pray and fellowship with the saints. It happens when I refuse to allow things that are not of God to come into my life and have an influence on my thoughts and actions. It happens when I am patient and wait on Him to move in the big decisions in life. It happens when everything I do is held up to processing, what would Jesus want for me, then doing it.
Prayer
Lord, the sacrifice You made was so mind blowing. You did it for me and for everyone else who would want to come into a relationship with the Father. Thank You for Your obedience. Help me to be obedient. Help me to allow those things that keep me from You to fall away and mean nothing. Give me such a passion and desire to do Your will that nothing else will satisfy my soul. I will live for You.
Peace
Todd