“It’s a J-curve. Jesus lives a J-curve. He describes his life as a seed dying and rising again. … Gospel stories are possible only because God actively shapes history, bringing life where there is death.” - Paul Miller
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Phillippians 3:7-11
This posture of seeing His Life in my death is seeing the J-curve in our life. So please go read more Paul Miller on this.
My thoughts this morning, as I was dreading getting up and facing another day of not doing what I want to do, were to see this valley as a mud sink hole from which I am trying to claw my way out.
Not much vision in mud.
This is where I get stuck; I get all hung up on my death: suffering, pain, disappointments, failures. How foolish of me. To see His life in my death is to see resurrection, to claim this resurrection as my own. Being in His valley of Vision means I get to walk around with the death, resurrection, and life of Christ in me. I have to claim it though and I have to practice it, which I believe is what this Colossians passage is talking about.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your[a] life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:[b] sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.[c] 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self[d] with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,[e] free; but Christ is all, and in all.
12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:1-17
I would like to claim this new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
I have a feeling this will be a daily claiming.
