Living The Life
DAILY VITAMIN
- Living The Life
Most times when I wish to describe the Christian life, I like to use the picture of the Flock and the Nomad. You see, a nomad may be outnumbered by his flock, but regardless of what he does to them, they don't retaliate. Does that tell you anything? Okay, let's see....
No matter how hard the nomadic fellow strikes the cattle, it never turns to strike back, rather it continues as it was directed to move. It obeys the unwritten order until it gets to where it must. Little wonder why Jesus lived, as according to Isaiah, as 'a sheep led to the slaugther'. The sheep could decide to run away, just as the cattle could choose to plunge the nomad beneath the fifth rib, yet they choose to do nothing, because they live to serve purpose. They obey even though they have the power to pull off a successful rebellion.
In the same vein, the Christian no longer lives as himself, rather he lives the Person of Jesus to the world around him, so that even when he wills to hit the bully hard on the face, he remains calm- not because he desires calmness, but because the Person whom he now lives and has become is calm Himself as a lamb. And that's why whether we love it or not, the emblem of the Christian life is "as a sheep led to the slaugther". This doesn't mean that we live to die- for what is dead may never die. Remember, we are dead to the flesh with our lives now hidden in Christ. So, when we live, we are simply living the life of Christ all over again, and I believe that deeply you can connote its mysteries.
We are in the world (location) but not of the world (stance). Those were Jesus' words. And so, even though we live among people who react to every action in the measure they received it, we mustn't; for it's no longer us who live, but Christ in us our hope of glory. And what do think Christ would do in such circumstances? Check the scripture and you'd see what He did, and what you should henceforth.
Thus, we might want to run when we feel inferiorated as Elijah, or switch side when we feel tempted as Demas, or perhaps even strike when we feel threatened as Peter, but now being overwhelmed by His will, and emptied of ours', we must no longer run except He bids us run; we must no longer switch because He is in us sustaining, and above us presiding; we must no longer strike because vengeance is His alone. All we do is to be as He instructs us to be.
"You yourselves used to be in the darkness, but since you have become the Lord's people, you are in the light. So you must live like people that belong to the light".
(Ephesians 5:8 GNB)
Though it may not be easy to live in such a way as men, but it's possible. It's what we signed up for: the persecution is what we knew would come; and the word 'Be of good cheer' is what should keep us going.
Hence, while you might want to act out how you really feel, or even believe you have the right to do so, always note that God desires you to act always how He expects you to (Numbers 15:39)....
So stay calm!
- Living The Life
Most times when I wish to describe the Christian life, I like to use the picture of the Flock and the Nomad. You see, a nomad may be outnumbered by his flock, but regardless of what he does to them, they don't retaliate. Does that tell you anything? Okay, let's see....
No matter how hard the nomadic fellow strikes the cattle, it never turns to strike back, rather it continues as it was directed to move. It obeys the unwritten order until it gets to where it must. Little wonder why Jesus lived, as according to Isaiah, as 'a sheep led to the slaugther'. The sheep could decide to run away, just as the cattle could choose to plunge the nomad beneath the fifth rib, yet they choose to do nothing, because they live to serve purpose. They obey even though they have the power to pull off a successful rebellion.
In the same vein, the Christian no longer lives as himself, rather he lives the Person of Jesus to the world around him, so that even when he wills to hit the bully hard on the face, he remains calm- not because he desires calmness, but because the Person whom he now lives and has become is calm Himself as a lamb. And that's why whether we love it or not, the emblem of the Christian life is "as a sheep led to the slaugther". This doesn't mean that we live to die- for what is dead may never die. Remember, we are dead to the flesh with our lives now hidden in Christ. So, when we live, we are simply living the life of Christ all over again, and I believe that deeply you can connote its mysteries.
We are in the world (location) but not of the world (stance). Those were Jesus' words. And so, even though we live among people who react to every action in the measure they received it, we mustn't; for it's no longer us who live, but Christ in us our hope of glory. And what do think Christ would do in such circumstances? Check the scripture and you'd see what He did, and what you should henceforth.
Thus, we might want to run when we feel inferiorated as Elijah, or switch side when we feel tempted as Demas, or perhaps even strike when we feel threatened as Peter, but now being overwhelmed by His will, and emptied of ours', we must no longer run except He bids us run; we must no longer switch because He is in us sustaining, and above us presiding; we must no longer strike because vengeance is His alone. All we do is to be as He instructs us to be.
"You yourselves used to be in the darkness, but since you have become the Lord's people, you are in the light. So you must live like people that belong to the light".
(Ephesians 5:8 GNB)
Though it may not be easy to live in such a way as men, but it's possible. It's what we signed up for: the persecution is what we knew would come; and the word 'Be of good cheer' is what should keep us going.
Hence, while you might want to act out how you really feel, or even believe you have the right to do so, always note that God desires you to act always how He expects you to (Numbers 15:39)....
So stay calm!
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