"He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence" (Colossians 1:18).
Christ only. Christ always. Christ forever! This is the heart of God regarding the centrality of His Son in His eternal purposes, and it must be ours as well. He is to be emphasized and exalted in all things, and it is impossible to overstate the place of the Lord Jesus in both time and eternity.
Ponder the Apostle Paul's affirmation "that in all things He might have the preeminence." Our immediate response may well be "Uh-oh." We would all admit that too many areas of our lives remain seemingly untouched and unfilled by the centrality of Christ. In the outworking of the truth, and in our response, this is doubtless the case. In the spiritual reality of the matter, however, the Lord Jesus is in fact the often unseen, unheard, and unknown quantity of every moment. When by faith and submission, we experience the fact of His dynamic presence, we are not making the truth true. We are simply awakening to the reality of a Savior in whom we dwell, and who dwells in us. As Jacob said at Bethel, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not!" (Genesis 28:16). Wherever we are in this moment, we can be sure that the Lord "is in this place," and even more, He is in us if we have believed. As we know such blessed truth to be true, the preeminence of Christ will more and more be revealed in us and by us, setting our hearts ablaze with His glory and light.
The Holy Spirit is in the world to exalt and reveal the Lord Jesus (John 16:14; 15:26). We are in the world to do the same (John 15:27). This is reality. Nothing else is. As we "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," life will be experienced in the measure and mode determined by God, and declared by the Apostle Paul, "To live is Christ" (II Peter 3:18; Philippians 1:21). Any other existence is merely shadowed illusion of twilight. Christ only. Christ always. Christ forever! This is life, truth, and reality. And nothing else is.
"And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with Him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if Thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him."
(Matthew 17:1-5)
1 comment:
Amen and Amen!!! I was just thinking today how much we get so impressed by so many things but not Christ Himself. It's amazing how our attention is drawn to the stuff of earth, the stuff we do for God, and even His blessings on us but the very person of Christ gets shoved to the background at times. Thank you so much for these reminders! Phyllis
Post a Comment