The Daily Display

"For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh" 2 Corinthians 4:11.

I have often longed for the Christian life to work differently than it does.  If I were in charge, we would be able to die once to the old life of sin and death, never to face the pains of its existence again.  We would die to the human will of selfishness, insecurity, and pride and we would continue on in this life only in the life of Jesus.  If things worked this way, every Christian would appear radically different to the world!  We would be truly set-apart in the eyes of those who seek life! More importantly we would not have to ever taste the bitterness of having to hurt ourselves and the ones we love.  Alas, I am not in charge of this Christian journey and its inner-workings.  No, I am not God.  God has us being given up to death for Jesus' sake always.  That means that each day, each moment, our lives are meant to be a living testimony of the power of Christ's death.  Our weakness, our vices, our tempers, our prejudices, our nastiest thoughts and actions all speak to the world (and to us) the great need for Jesus on the cross!  Each time I display my broken humanity as a Christian, I am exemplifying once again why God sent his son to suffer and die!  The rub here comes in this fact - Christ did not stay dead.  He is no longer on the cross.  He rose from the grave in victory and lives today with with Father in power.  Had Christ stayed on the cross, our faith would be void of its power.  Yes, Jesus had to die on that tree, but he could not stay there.  For neither death nor sin has the victory over him.  Likewise, we do not only display the death of Jesus in our bodies.  Each time we are given up to death for Jesus' sake the ultimate purpose is that the life of Jesus would be made visible in us.  This is where dead stones become living stones.  This is where someone goes from being an example of why Jesus bled to an example of why Jesus rose.  When we allow the power of his death to bring about the power of his life in us, then we are truly sharing fully in our savior.  So it is indeed proper that I will daily exemplify through my existence the reason that Christ died.  This is always a cause for grief.  But I will always display the glory of a forgiven and sanctified sinner who lives the very righteousness and power of Christ in my mortal body.  And this is always a reason for great rejoicing.

"Thank you Lord that the Christian life does not work as I wished it did.  For you give me the opportunity each day to share in the life and death of your son Jesus Christ.  Each time I display my brokenness, may it be a witness of Jesus' crucifixion so that when I am renewed and redeemed again your life might shine through even me.  Only by your power, Lord, only by your power.  Amen."