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"When Christ who is our life appears,
then you also will appear with Him in glory."
(Colossians 3:4)
In my quiet time with the Lord recently, I was still before Him, not talking. It was a sweet time, and I felt the Lord impressing upon me these two things: remember and enjoy. Remember all His promises and faithfulness in the past, and remember His Word. Enjoy this life God has given to me. It is a beautiful life, and if I am not careful, I can go so hard and get so busy that I do not slow down and enjoy it.
The 24th life principle in Charles Stanley's series "30 Life Principles" is entitled "The Key to the Christian Life". He confessed that in his own power and ability, he cannot live the Christian life, and neither can you or I. Stanley said he was saved at age 12, told to grow up and be good, and go to heaven. So, he tried this very basic moralistic life. Along the way, he knew he had a problem. There had to be something better. He recalled how one man in his church would frequently walk down the aisle during the invitation time and tell the pastor he was rededicating his life. Like this man, Stanley could not live the blessed, consistent Christian life or figure out why. As Stanley preached through Galatians 5 on the fruit of the Spirit, he realized he did not have that kind of life marked by this fruit. He struggled as a pastor with how he could teach and preach about a quality of life that is blessed yet not experience this life himself! One night, he walked into his backyard, and it was there that God opened his eyes to see what he was missing. He knelt in prayer, and God spoke to him something simple that revolutionized his life, and he knew then why he had failed so many times.
The key to living the blessed life is not dependent on us and our good works. Rather, the key is Christ living His amazing life through us! God desires us to know His Son, Jesus, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, He allows Christ to live His awesome life through us. The result is a blessed life where the yielded Christian enjoys the favor of God and the ability to impact many others for the Kingdom of God.
I can definitely relate to what Stanley was saying. I too can get so caught up in doing the right things that I fail to realize that it is Christ in me and living through me that makes all the difference. Tomorrow we will explore this concept in more detail as we look at Colossians 3 in more depth.
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