Life in Christ

I'm sharing a personal thought today in this post. My husband's father passed away last Thursday evening after a long time diagnoses of Alzheimer's. He had been married for sixty-five years to my husband's mom. They lived a good life, but not always an easy one. He had been a POW in WWII, shot down over Czechoslovakia. So I have been thinking a lot this week about "life" and "death" and then what constitutes a successful journey. My own dad passed away almost eleven years ago, my brother over seven years ago. They have been on my heart this week also. My dad and brother both too young for passing. Each one knew the Lord, and had committed his heart to Jesus Christ.
I pondered what to write in this post today because the book of Galatians has not been in my sights this week, but as I read the next verses of our text in Galatians Chapter 2, I landed on a verse which has held such profound influence, emotion, and power in my own life.

Galatians 2:20

"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 delivered Himself up for me."

Living a life void of Jesus isn't really living. Yes, we have a body, mind, and spirit, but without the power and presence of Jesus in our heart we live a life that is empty...artificial...without real purpose. We truly begin to LIVE when we lay our old life down for Jesus. Crucifying "ourselves" to let Jesus Christ "live" through us. Our old thoughts and life are left behind, we are reborn with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Then the new life in Christ that we receive is lived by faith. Not just faith for salvation, but faith in Jesus Christ for our daily lives. Committing daily, to living a life for Him, not ourselves.

I have had my own moments where "death" felt near. It has caused me to rethink my "living"...to re-evaluate what kind of life I want to live. When it all comes down to it, I know this in my heart; I am nothing without God in me. The life I live today isn't to be compared with our eternity with our Father.


I really think that this video from Phillips, Craig and Dean is one of the most powerful that I could share. It reached into me and powerfully transformed my outlook on life...and death. Even if you've seen and heard it a hundred times, please listen one more time, asking God for it to truly be manifested in your own personal life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWe9nC_Jybs

And then Paul says again in Philippians 1:21, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain".

We have a week of family and spending time with them. I'll be back next week, please say a prayer for my mother-in-law. She needs to feel God's arms around her.

Love you all,
in Jesus,
Debra