Crucified with Christ
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who lives, 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 gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
As I began reading Galatians 2, I knew this verse was coming up at the end of the chapter. So, I was looking for it and, of course thought, “I know this one”. When I got to the verse, suddenly I saw it completely different than I ever had before. When I read the first line “I have been crucified with Christ”, in my mind I could see Saul of Tarsus being knocked off his horse by a blinding light on the Damascus road. Immediately, that fall from his horse to the ground represented to me his death to himself. That’s when he met Jesus for the first time. That meeting was when he was crucified with Christ. When he got up off the ground, those who were with him helped him to get to a place where he could wait until he regained his sight (which he lost when he was knocked to the ground). It was three days and he didn’t eat or drink . . . his burial time. Then a disciple named Ananias came and laid hands on him, he regained his vision, and was baptized and began the ministry God had for him. Now it was no longer Saul that lived in that body but Christ Jesus now lived in him. He gave Jesus the space in his life that he himself used to occupy and became the minister of God. The ministry was the way he demonstrated living by faith in the Son of God.
This revelation may seem like a no brainer to some people, but seeing this picture gave me a whole new perspective of my salvation in Christ Jesus. Yes, I have always known that when I received Jesus I died and gave my life to him, but the reality of it was something I struggled to see. Seeing the picture of Paul on the horse really brought the reality of salvation home to me. Now I realize that at the point of my salvation, I died to my selfish desires and gave Jesus the space in my life that used to be full of what I wanted to have and do.
Today I want to encourage you to ask yourself, “Have I fully given my savior that space I once occupied?” “Am I letting the Holy Spirit of God navigate and direct me daily?” “Have I truly been crucified with Christ Jesus, or do I still allow that “dead” person to control my life?” These are hard questions, I know, but if you will answer them honestly and try not to justify your actions, you will be able to go so much deeper in your relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That is when you will truly be on the road God has planned for you and live your life to the extreme fullest!
Today’s scripture reading: Galatians 2
The Daily Dose 