What does it mean to be united to Christ?
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Col. 3:3
Precious Jesus,
Please open the eyes of our hearts
that we might understand all of the riches
we have in our union with you,
that we might live accordingly.
Our old self has died,
and with it, all of our slavery to sin—
we can be free of idolatry of every kind:
addiction to control or to crack,
to work or to wasting time,
to sexual immorality or to secret lusts.
We are raised with you,
“holy and beloved” (3:1, 12),
so we can put on compassion,
letting others go first in a long line at the gas station,
patiently waiting when our friend always runs fifteen minutes late,
forgiving our co-worker for taking credit for our work,
seeking to restore harmony with a roommate
who never takes out the trash or does the dishes… (Col. 3:14).
Indeed, joined to you,
we will “share in your sufferings” (Philippians 3:10),
but because we are hidden in you,
you will bear the brunt of those sufferings,
as a pregnant mother does for the baby in her womb.
Most wonderfully of all,
because we are joined to you,
we can never be separated from you.
Gentle Jesus, may we indeed be thankful and peaceful.
May we sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (Col. 3:16-17)
as we grasp this incredibly good news!
In your life-transforming name. Amen.
Read Colossians 3.
