Journey to the Cross

Pause

Almost everyone wants to be noticed. Pretty much everybody desires to be seen as special, even extraordinary.

That kind of ambition can get in the way of the Christian walk, however. If there is to be any glory gained from living our lives, it’s important to recognize that all the credit goes eventually to the One who made us and gifted us.

Prepare now to yield your spirit to the Spirit in whom all true glory resides.

Listen

But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

Romans 8:9–11

Think

One of the biggest temptations in our culture is to be negative about our bodies.  All of those air-brushed models on the fronts of magazines stare down at us in the grocery store line, from internet ads, and on TV.  It is tempting to think we don’t have value because we don’t look a certain way.  Our bodies don’t measure up to society’s standards.

Paul challenges our negativity.  For Paul, the body, on its own, doesn’t count, even if you have one of those beautiful bodies.  What gives life to our bodies counts—the Spirit of God that dwells in us, that whispers to us that we are loved.  The Spirit of God depends on us to be God’s hands and eyes and feet in this world.  We don’t have bodies that are meant to be simply displayed, but used to love and serve others for God’s sake.

Mike Angell

Pray

God, I give my body and all that I am to you for your service. Help me to live for you and for others. Amen.

Go

We all fall short of the glory of God.
But being a follower of Jesus means taking the risk
That the resurrection-informed life is the better way.

Take the risk that your prayers might be powerful,
That love may in fact be the strongest thing of all,
Worth giving all you have that it might be known.

The glory of God will light your way.