So Christ is my identity. My entire being - my purpose, my existence - is established, founded, developed and perfected in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Is that all I need to know? Is there more to this?
Since I was hired in Good News, I was assigned to prepare, print, and reproduce the newsletter we would distribute during our Sunday Services. By standards, this newsletter would contain a more concise version of the message that the Pastor of the service would deliver. This means that I would need to go through the message myself, sometimes twice or even more in one sitting, to make sure that whatever I would truncate would not take anything away from the big picture.
So I was going through the message for this coming Sunday; it focused on us having no fear. It's funny that yesterday, as I spent time with relatives over at a resort in Kennon Road, I was given visual reminders of reasons for me not to fear - Galatians 2:20 was on the back of the shirt of my Aunt. The calendar in her kitchen had John 16:33 as the associated text to the wonderful landscape picture for the month of April. And finally, as I was driving back home, I saw a message painted on a wall - 'No Fear', it said.
I got a day left before I turn 30. And the fear the enemy is trying to push into my head is in the form of lack - well, when you think of it, fear itself is lack. Just as darkness is just the absence of light, fear is the absence of assurance (I had to check the dictionary for the accurate antonym of fear). I'm being tempted to feel that just knowing that my identity is founded, developed and perfected in Christ is not enough.
What came into me by the beautiful leading of the Holy Spirit, while I was typing that last paragraph, is that Christ's finished work is absolutely complete and more than enough for me. This is Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Creator of the Universe, God made man. This is the same Jesus Christ who told Jairus, a synagogue leader, 'Do not fear' mere moments before He raised his daughter from the dead. This is the same Jesus Christ who with gentleness and authority told the thief nailed to the cross next to His own, 'Assuredly I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise.'
Jesus Christ gives us far beyond what we need! On one occasion He made sure 5000 men were fed, and there were 12 basketfuls left over! Regarding our fear, we see that He tells us not to fear, AND He also assures us!
Because of Christ's finished work, I am absolutely and completely free to receive the lavish love of our Heavenly Father, pressed down, shaken together, and running over! The Lord is my Good Shepherd, and indeed, I shall not want! I shall not lack food, I shall not lack drink. I shall not lack peace, I shall not lack assurance! I shall not lack power, nor shall I lack wisdom! I am not bound, I am free in Christ!
Christ is not just enough, He is MORE than enough for me, for us! Everything I need is in Him!
Christ is all I need to know. Halleluyah!
Solus Christus, Soli Deo Gloria!
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com.
May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26