Yesterday while having my devotions, I had this thought.
Crucifixion is the only death you cannot accomplish on your own. Putting a gun in your mouth, cutting, harnessing yourself to a weight and jumping into the ocean, tying a rope to your neck - all of these offer you the power and control of the situation. Crucifixion on the other hand is not so easy. You can pierce your feet and nail your one arm, but what about the other hand? A part of you, while it seems minute in the whole scheme of things (your body would be wracked with pain at this point), there is still a piece of you that is not fully dead.
We cannot crucify ourselves to our fleshly nature and whims. We cannot mortify the deeds of the flesh to ourselves in our own strength. Should we try, we will never truly die - there will always be some area, no matter how small, that will be still be clinging to the fragments of sin.
Christ alone can truly crucify you . . . me. Indeed, He already has. Jesus has loosened the ropes and gag that had bound me to myself. My flesh has already been crucified with Christ. This life I now live, I must choose to live in faith, speaking truth to my soul that the word is dead to me, and I to the world.
For this reason, I rejoice in my death. I welcome it, cherish it, embrace it, breathe it. Death to myself means life to my spirit. In my external weakness, my soul is hid in the shadow of the Almighty. My flesh may beg for attention; why is it so painful? Yet, why do I afford it the listening ear? Sin has never done anything good for me, it deserves none of my recognition or respect. Christ alone brings fruition out of pain, strength out of weakness, life out of death.
Lord, take me deeper into the glories of Calvary.
Crucifixion is the only death you cannot accomplish on your own. Putting a gun in your mouth, cutting, harnessing yourself to a weight and jumping into the ocean, tying a rope to your neck - all of these offer you the power and control of the situation. Crucifixion on the other hand is not so easy. You can pierce your feet and nail your one arm, but what about the other hand? A part of you, while it seems minute in the whole scheme of things (your body would be wracked with pain at this point), there is still a piece of you that is not fully dead.
We cannot crucify ourselves to our fleshly nature and whims. We cannot mortify the deeds of the flesh to ourselves in our own strength. Should we try, we will never truly die - there will always be some area, no matter how small, that will be still be clinging to the fragments of sin.
Christ alone can truly crucify you . . . me. Indeed, He already has. Jesus has loosened the ropes and gag that had bound me to myself. My flesh has already been crucified with Christ. This life I now live, I must choose to live in faith, speaking truth to my soul that the word is dead to me, and I to the world.
For this reason, I rejoice in my death. I welcome it, cherish it, embrace it, breathe it. Death to myself means life to my spirit. In my external weakness, my soul is hid in the shadow of the Almighty. My flesh may beg for attention; why is it so painful? Yet, why do I afford it the listening ear? Sin has never done anything good for me, it deserves none of my recognition or respect. Christ alone brings fruition out of pain, strength out of weakness, life out of death.
Lord, take me deeper into the glories of Calvary.
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