We had to take a detour. The police redirected us to a little country road that had not been designed for bumper-to-bumper traffic. It made me think how often we take a detour from the purpose of living. Problems and pressures often take precedence over living with purpose, especially when difficulties slam us.
Christ, "God with us" revealed living with purpose regardless of circumstances. John wrote that "all things came into being through him (John 1:3)." Even so, humanity, created out of the love of God, would not accept "God with us." The challenges of not being accepted did not distract Christ from the purpose of living with humanity. Christ did not come solely for the one time event of being with humanity but for the ongoing reality of personal union and communion.
Life changes through our union with Christ:
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:6-7, NRS)Humanity is created and invited to live purposefully "in Christ."
Unpack the truths about living with purpose in Colossians 2:6-7
Receive Christ Jesus the Lord: Humanity has the choice to receive the presence of Christ. The presence of Christ is life-giving, who empowers an individual to live with purpose and passion.
Continue to live your lives in Him: It is a daily choice to keep Christ at the core of every thought, word, and behavior. When all is said and done, we must stop, look, and listen before we proceed with the way we are thinking, speaking and behaving. The question in all things: Is this of Christ or self?
Rooted and built up in him and established in the faith: Busyness, pressures, and problems distract and detour you and I from living with focused purpose and passion. Most of us would agree that life can be overwhelming; however, what we base life on and how our life is structured will determine how we manage life. We need to assess where we are at and how we are doing: Is my response rooted in Christ? Is my purpose Christ? Am I responding in fear or faith?
Abounding in thanksgiving: Gratefulness is a vital component of health and wholeness. A lack of gratefulness often comes from dissatisfaction created from a limited perspective. Our view of life can't be compared to God's perspective. Gratefulness comes from the awareness of the presence of God and all that He is doing irregardless of what is actually seen in the moment.
Refuse to take a detour from purposeful living.
Take time to be aware of the presence of Christ . . . stop . . . breathe slowly . . . be still and know (Psalm 46:10).
Determine to keep Christ at the core of every thought, word, action.
Give thanks.
Learning with you to live purposefully,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
