CWW Week 19 Day 5 - Who Are You?

Scripture

Colossians 3:3 in the New King James Version (NKJV) reads:

“For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

This verse emphasises the idea that, through faith in Christ, we have undergone a spiritual transformation and our true, eternal life is now securely hidden with Christ. It reflects a theme of new identity and security in our relationship with God.

Striving for perfection is a worthy pursuit. Expecting to attain it is folly and can be destructive. Time and time again, the faith journey of so many has been diverted or stopped in it’s tracks by those we call perfectionists. 

My old friend of fifty years is a gifted cabinet maker who still, in his eighties, can work wonders with his hands. He truly is a perfectionist when it comes to his trade. This kind of perfectionism is always admired and his work demonstrates that. When he is complimented on it he always replies, “Yes you may see it that way but I know where the mistakes are and you can’t see them.”

Jesus was a carpenter too and He alone has the title of the perfect human. 

But what my friend says is an example of the way Jesus wants us to live as we strive to be like Him. It’s great when we take our labours seriously but it only comes undone when we take ourselves seriously. This is called pride.

So what does this have to do with ,”For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God?”

What this scripture is saying is best described in my commentary Bible The Life Application Study Bible NKJV.

The commentary says this. “What does it mean that a believers life is ‘hidden with Christ?’ Hidden means ‘concealed and safe.’ This not only ensures our future hope but also gives us security right now. Our service and good works do not earn our salvation, but they flow out because of our salvation. This confidence helps us to not worry about ourselves and to be free to help others.”

What perfection religiosity says to me is that those who practice this form of faith by works are demonstrating a lack of salvation by faith as a heart knowledge. Many Christians have a head full of knowledge from a lifetime of studying not to know God but to protect themselves from Him. This practice can stiffen ones conscience and harden the heart.

When we read God’s word it should be eaten with the mind and digested in the heart from where it shines. A head filled with knowledge only becomes useful when it is attached to a heart to serve. One of my favourite sayings comes to mind here. “All the knowledge in the world is of no use to fools.”

 So where did Christ hide our new lives? In the safest place in the universe. He hid it in God.

So now that our new life is securely locked away in the vault in heaven, let’s get on with letting our light so shine that others are drawn from the darkness too. You will not be perfect and expecting to be will trip you up.

We must be eternally grateful to God that our place is secured even though we are a work in progress and stumbling fools.

So who do you think you are? The answer to this question will tell you how strong the connection is between your head and your heart.

When I was in the midst of my aviation career I was a mentor to younger pilots coming through the ranks. One day I was called by Dave, a particular favourite of mine. Dave is a gentle giant of a man with a wonderful heart who flew as my co-pilot on many trips. We always had a good day out when we were together. We are friends.

Dave got the call one day that every young pilot waits for. ‘We want you to start command training.’ He was going to become a Captain. I was the first one he called with the good news. He told me that he had always loved flying with me and asked for any advice I could offer him. My reply was simple.

I have only ever had to stand on my soap box at work three times in my thirty two year career as a jet captain and say, “I am the Captain and I insist you do it my way.” I never felt the need to do it more often because I had faith in my training and my colleagues. I went on to say that some captains feel the need to declare this on every flight and look for excuses to say it as often as possible. It’s not your occupation or your rank that defines you. It’s your heart.

‘Dave you choose which of these styles best suits you.’ He got the message but he already knew it.   

I always took the job seriously but not myself. I knew I had the best job in the world not because I was the best person for the job but because of God’s grace. Even when I was an atheist I behaved the same way. I have never seen myself as the ace of the base, just the most fortunate of men because I got there with nothing but perseverance.

My Christian walk is the same and I have a heart driven urge to be the same in my faith journey as I was on the flight deck. I take God seriously and often laugh at how I have been given the greatest opportunity with no qualification.

“For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Your new life, safe and sound as long as you follow He who hid it for you, is like gold stored for your future. Now all you have to do is adopt an attitude of gratitude and get on with living.

As the line in the movie The Shawshank Redemption says. “We either get busy livin’ or get busy dyin’.

Questions.

1. Are you able to forgive yourself as a work in progress?
2. Are you altogether ready to accept yourself as Christ does?
3. Knowing that your eternal life is secure with God, what plans do you have going forward?

Prayer.

Dear Lord, Papa God.

What a relief it is knowing that my future is hidden by You in God. Papa my desire is to serve others because of the gifts you have given me. Free me from the burdens of self doubt that often plague me Lord. Thank You that in spite of my constant stumbles, that You still hold me as a righteous work in progress. Guide my every step from this day forward is my prayer in Jesus name. Amen.

Have a great day with Jesus.

Graham Hood.