Okay, I am super distracted, but I am stubborn and want to try to write this anyway. You see, tomorrow morning I am going to Mexico. And not just any part of Mexico; but my very, very favorite part. I have been there three times already, and it is the very best decision of where to go on vacation. You get hot and sweaty. You sleep on an air mattress. In my case, I am usually on the floor by morning. My luck with air mattresses isn’t all that hot. It’s really bad actually.
So next week, I am sleeping on the floor. But I am going to be super excited about it because Christ is in me. I may be less excited about trying to shave with questionable water service. Oh well, I guess Christ will have to bring this body to life and get me to smile through that experience too!
Anyways, you see the reason I am going on this trip is because Christ is in me. I really like this whole thing about Him bringing life to my mortal body because His Spirit is in me. I do.
See, for the first about seven years that I was saved, I didn’t go on a missions trip. There were two reasons for it. One was because I was scared. (Like I said a couple weeks ago, I have pretty much been scared of everything at some point.) But the second one was because I was selfish. I was afraid that if I did something like go on a missions trip, I would never be able to live my life completely for myself again because I would know too much to do it. Too much about the need in the world, but also too much of the goodness that was available in following Jesus.
I have another area of sacrifice in ministry and life that God has been talking to me about lately. I have trembled as I consider what it will be like to step into it. I know my experience of God will deepen astronomically. The same selfish part of me that didn’t want to go on the missions trip is afraid that if I make this step, I will never be able to turn back.
Isn’t that just the weirdest thing about the sinful flesh? It doesn’t want to die. Now that I write that out, it seems less weird.
But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.
That is another of my favorite verses in Romans. That and the one which follows it.
And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you.
God has been bringing my mortal body to life in the last few years. It accelerated when I hit rock bottom five years ago. That is basically when I quit fighting the Spirit of God in me and started fighting the flesh instead. It sure has been a lot more productive!
Meditating on this part of Romans has made me realize how much my body is merely a vessel for the spirits it contains – His Spirit and my spirit. My body and its sinful desires are not the boss. His Spirit and my regenerated spirit are the boss. His Spirit is strong enough to put to death the misdeeds of my body. My body can be used for good when I submit it to His will.
I like that because it means I can be used to do good things on earth. Somewhere Paul calls them good works. I am glad that if I put to death the misdeeds of the body, I can give life instead of bring death to the world around me. I am glad the Spirit gives me life!
Now I am going to finish packing to travel to one of my favorite places on earth. To people He has used to change my life. May He bring good to them through me!
Is the Spirit of Christ within you? Is your sinful nature your boss or His Spirit? Which do you allow to control your day-to-day decision-making?
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