Cross.Life. Resurrection.Life (thoughts from Scot McKnight’s book, “ONE.LIFE”)
What does resurrection life look like? For me, it’s a daily death to those attitudes, words and actions that wreak of self and pride and letting God’s Spirit produce the attitudes, words and actions that bring the fragrance of kindness, love and humility.
This has been a difficult season for me for in addition to my failing memory (where is my cell phone?… nothing new…I’ve never been able to find that thing!), I find that emotionally I max out sooner than before. Whereas I used to multi-task in stride, I now multi-task in stress….(common denominator here?!) I find that often under stress a lot of dross comes to the surface…with jumping to conclusions rising to the top first. How often have I missed the cue and made judgments that are not God or people honoring?
So, coming back to daily death, what does God want me to do with my judging? He doesn’t want me to just settle for feeling bad about speaking too quickly. He doesn’t want me to stop at feeling remorse for sin. He wants me to die to these things which have such a hold on me! If I had cancer, I would want it completely removed and so that I would no longer have to worry about it spreading. This is how God wants me to look at my sin. To not only eradicate its presence in my attitude, words, or actions, but to receive the blessing of being free to love those around me, walking in God’s peace and knowing His favor upon my life.
Father, We live in an ever darkening age where truth has been clouded and only in walking in Your Spirit are we able to see Your light. Draw us close to You and shine Your light into those dark crevices of our lives and give us hearts of repentance. May our eyes not be veiled but may we truly see. May we not walk in blindness of heart but walk in humility producing those fruits that speak of a repentant heart so that we can truly love others as You do. Amen.
