A Soul's Rest

 

True life begins when we surrender our life to God. Even Jesus cried out from His soul for God to save Him from the hour of His crucifixion (John 12:27). Yet, it is a good thing for us that He surrendered to God’s will. When we surrender to God, sin is disgusting to us (2 Peter 2:8). We are foreigners and exiles in this world. At the top of our priority list, is seeking God’s Kingdom. He provides for all of our needs (Matthew 6:33). Our soul revels in its rest, because the Lord is always good to us (Psalm 116:7).

If we hide sin in our heart, God cannot hear our prayers; but if we live in His righteousness, He pays attention to our prayers. He satisfies our longing and He fills our hungry soul. To authentic Born Again Believers, His loving kindness is better than anything this world has to offer. He will not turn away from us or withhold His love from us. He will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). We praise Him with our lips for as long as we live (Psalm 63:2-5, 107:9).

Paul encourages us to keep our whole spirit, soul and body blameless until the return of Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Jesus teaches us to love God with all of our mind, choices, emotions and strength (Mark 12:30; Matthew 22:37; Luke 10:27). When Mary found out she would give birth to Jesus, our Savior, her soul glorified the Lord (Luke 1:46). As we walk in God’s will for our life, we also live a life of praise to His name. We cease from our own labors, and our soul enters God’s rest (Hebrews 4:10).

Many spend their lifetime working for their self and then for God, but blessed are those who learn to cease from our labors and enter God’s Sabbath rest. God gave us this example when He rested from His works after His monumental feat of creation (Genesis 2:2-3). We keep each day holy for Him (Exodus 20:8-11). His presence goes with us and insures that we rest in Him (Exodus 33:14). Even if our flesh and our heart falter, God strengthens our heart, because He is our portion for eternity (Psalm 73:26).

Prayer:

Father God, remind us that life on this earth is not an end in itself, but merely an opportunity to choose eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our soul is capable of becoming distressed and discouraged (Psalm 42:5). Yet, our soul praises You, who are the only One who can truly encourage our soul (Psalm 42:6 & 11; 3:1, 104:1). Our soul finds rest in You, because You are always good to us (Psalm 62:1-2). Help us to live our whole live, in every endeavor You lead us to accomplish, to the praise and the glory of Your name (Psalm 103:22; Ephesians 2:10).

Thought for the Day:

The soul that finds its rest in God matures to the point of abstaining from sinful desires, because they no longer appeal to us in any way. - 1 Peter 2:11

What "Union with Christ" Means

Our actual union with Christ is founded on our salvation, from beginning to end (Hebrews 12:2). The basis of our union is Jesus’ redemptive work on Calvary’s cross (Ephesians 1:7). We were dead in sin and made alive in Christ to do the good works, which God prepared for us before the beginning of time (Ephesians 2:4-5, 10). We are also united with Christ in regeneration. It is not something we strive to enter. In this union, we are in Christ (John 15:4,5,7; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 2 Corinthians 12:2; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 1:4, 2:10; Philippians 3:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; 1 John 4:13).

We are in Christ, but Christ is also in us (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1 27; Romans 8:10; 2 Corinthians 13:5; Ephesians 3:16-17). This makes our union complete. In this guaranteed bond, Christ dwells in our heart through faith (Ephesians 3:17). Our union with Christ brings us into a state of holiness through sanctification, not by human effort, but by His grace (Ephesians 2:8-10). We are baptized into His death, resurrected with Him from the grave, raised with Him in His ascension and we sit with Him, even now, in heavenly places. We will return to earth with Him when He appears in His glory to rule and reign in His Kingdom (Romans 6:14, Colossians 2:11-12, 3:1-4; Revelation 19:14; Colossians 3:1; 1 Corinthians 15:22).

There are three stages of our union with Christ. Initially, we are justified in our death with Christ (Romans 14:8; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:8-9; Revelation 14:13). Then, we are made holy through out sanctification through Christ (John 15:4-5; Ephesians 4:16; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Finally, we persevere in our union with Christ through the faith of Christ, and nothing can separate us from the love of God (John 10: 27-28; Romans 8:38-39). Our Father is the origin of our union; Jesus is the provider of our union; and the Holy Spirit is the bond of our union.

 
Union with Christ includes more than drawing our life from Christ; it also means living in Him and Him living in and through us (Romans 6:3–4, Galatians. 3:26–27). Jesus is our rock, fortress and deliverer in whom we can take refuge. He is our shield and the horn of our salvation, our stronghold (Psalm 18:2).  He is also our loving husband (Revelation 19:6-9). We are the apple of His eye, and we can hide under the shadow of His wings (Psalm 17:8). We are Jesus’ offspring and the sons of God (Galatians 3:26-27; Romans 8:14-15). We the Body of Christ, and He is the Head of that Body (1 Corinthians 12:12–27).

When we are one with Christ, we are also one with the Father (1 John 2:24). Jesus is the foundation of the building God is making without human hands. We are the temple of God, in which He dwells (1 Corinthians 3:10–11). We belong to God as a chosen people and a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). God chose us before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless, predestining those who believe in Christ as His adopted sons (Ephesians 1:4-5; Galatians 4:6-7).

We are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's Saints and members of God's household (Ephesians 2:19; Philippians 3:20). In our union with Christ, we are also to live in union with one another as His Body. We have many gifts and talents among us to meet the needs of each individual member of the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12). In our union with Christ, there is no distinction between anyone’s station in life, race, color or gender (Galatians 3:28). We are all one Body in union with one another in Christ.

Prayer:

Father God, our relationship with You, now and in eternity, occurred in our union with Christ. Because of Christ, You raised us to new life. In eternity You will give us immortal bodies with the power of Christ's resurrection. We thank You for Your spiritual blessings to us in the heavenly realm in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). In Him all of Your promises come to pass and we are partakers of those promises (Ephesians 3:6).

Thought for the Day:

It is seeing our self from the perspective or our union with Christ, which energizes us to grow in purity and holiness.