Christ as
life
Christ living
in us.
What
wonderful expressions!! Even before we
touch the reality of these 3 beautiful states, there is joy in just
uttering it or hearing it.
But will the
Lord wish that we know these truths outwardly? Shouldn't we yearn to know the meaning of these expressions inwardly, as true experiences that lead to true happiness? (Psalms 19:14, Psalms 26:2, Deu 30:6, Psalms 7:10,)
The Lord is
in us (2 Tim 1:14, Jam 4:5, 1John 4:12)
The Lord is
the life in us (John 1:4, John 5:21, John 5:40,
John 14:6, 1 Cor 15:45) and
We are living
in the Lord (John 17:21, 1 Cor 1:30, Eph 2:6,
1 John 3:24).
If we say
that we are living in Christ, then absolutely nothing can give us a shock (1 Pet 4:12). Grief, joy, trouble, success, should not be a sudden surprise to us but everything should be for the glory of the Lord (1Pe 4:12). Rather than being surprised and grieving
during troubles and tribulations, the residents in Christ are partakers in His
sufferings (Phil 1:29, 2Tim 1:8).
The Lord
knows our heart (Isa 1:20, 29:13), our inward parts more than we do?( Psalms 19:14, Psalms 26:2, Deu 30:6, Psalms 7:10,).
If the He sees trouble in our hearts, what will He do? Say, if we have problem in forgiving someone,
will He not arrange all things for us to learn and forgive someone with His
forgiveness (Rom 8:28).
Yes He will. Hallelujah.
Recently I
learned this from the Lord. Through an
incident arranged by Him, He taught me that I lacked forgiveness. I was offended by a person at my work
place. I was furious at him. Many portion of the Bible came to my mind at
that moment but it was futile. I prayed
but could not bring my heart to peace regarding that bitter incident. I asked Lord Jesus, “I don’t understand Lord,
why such a bitter thing happened?” I
continuously conversed with the Lord and walked with Him though more like a
grumbling kid.
Though I may
think that everything is going fine, I lacked forgiveness which was clearly exposed
by this bitter incident that happened with me.
It was like a disease being exposed after some tests. The Lord exposed it and then pursued to
quarantine it. I was trying to forgive
the person who offended me with my own natural ability which was impossible for
me. Even if I am able to forgive the
person this time, what will happen if the same person does the same offence again? It was not easy as I thought. I learnt that my forgiveness should be
replaced by Christ Himself that I may forgive a person seven times seventy (Mat 18:22). This is truly achievable when I am living in
the Lord, He is living in me and the Lord is the life in me. Amen. Then
I produced the right forgiveness which God desired.
That is our
Loving Lord. He will not give up on
us. He is a conqueror and will not rest
until He makes all His overcomers (1Jn 5:4) more than conquerors (Rom 8:37). Amen.
A couple of
days later, I visited a blood bank to donate blood to an acquaintance. For the first time, I understood that there
was an eligibility test before the blood donation. My blood passed the eligibility test. Right in that crowded blood bank, I received
the dispensation of the Lord. The whole
test procedure turned out to be a pure gospel session which was directly ministered
by the Holy Spirit to me. The test
conductor mercilessly pierced my finger and pressed it hard to collect a few
drops of blood. The finger pained for a
couple of days after that.
Not long, I
understood the great spiritual truth behind it.
What a wonderful truth it is!
The finger
was a member of the body, just as I am a member of the Body of Christ (Eph
1:22-23, Eph 5:30). When something pierced me, I cried and
complained to the Lord. I was stuck with
the Lord who is the Head of the Body which is His church today. Though the pain was in the finger, it was the
head which calculated and felt the pain and planned the future course of action
to comfort the troubled part. In the same
way Christ knows the future course of remedial actions for the piercings that
we suffer in Him.
The needle
which was used to prick my finger was for a single use. It was lifeless and its place after its
purpose is in the dust bin. Today, the
Lord uses many needles of the world (unbelievers) for our own good and our
being increased with Him. The people of
world may think that they are doing something against you, but it is the Lord
who is using all things for good to those who love Him and walk according to
Him (Rom 8:28). Poor unbelievers, they are already dead without
the salvation offered by God in Lord Jesus Christ and yet they are laboring so
that the Lord’s believers may receive an increase in the life of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Without a
piercing, the blood will not flow out of body.
And the world needs only the blood of Christ for their salvation, so this
is the standard to qualify. When the
lovers of the Lord suffer and glorify the Lord in the sufferings, they are partakers
of the Lord’s cross which is producing life in them. The world desperately needs this outflow of life,
so they test a believer whether he or she really has the life of the Lord
inside them. Our Lord’s blood has passed
the test of the righteous requirement of Father God on the cross and now it needs
to flow out into the dying people of the world.
So let us not complain, think that something strange has happened when
we receive the piercings or sufferings (Rom 8:17,
2Tim 3:12). It is all for the life of the Lord to flow
out of us. Thank God that we are
qualified and passed the eligibility by the blood of the Lord as life in us. Let us abide in Him to allow the Lord’s life
to flow out of us, though for a short while we may suffer if need be. Endure such sufferings as the soldier of
Christ (2Tim 2:3). Amen.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus we believe You. We have passed the eligibility test because
of Your work on the cross for sinners like me.
Lord, Your life is in us as the life- giving Spirit and the world around
me needs this flow of Your life. Lord we
pray for Your mighty grace to sustain us as means of Your outflow of divine
life. Lord, we were the highway people
but now You have chosen us to be Your children.
We thank You so much for the divine life. Amen. 
