How we start is how we finish…

May 3

Read: Col. 2:6,7, Gal. 3:1-3

How we start is how we finish…

“6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” (Col. 2)

The way that we start our journey in Christ is also the way that we finish. The same way that we “received Christ Jesus” is how we “walk in him”. When you think of the moment you came to life in Christ and “received” the indwelling presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit- what was it like? What was involved? Wasn’t it purely a “child like faith” present in you? (cf. Mark 10:5) Wasn’t it a simple moment of trust and surrender to the Lord… a trusting in him… and “falling into his arms”… a “letting go” of sorts to follow Christ?

Our way forward - our “walk in Christ” - functions this very same way. Eyes towards Christ. Trusting him. Listening to him as he calls us to follow. It is simple. It is “childlike”. The way we begin he journey is also the way we will carry it out and end it well. "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” The outworking of this truth is that we will indeed be “built up in him”. Our faith will be “established” and made strong when we turn to Christ in us and he leads us as he transforms our lives into his image and likeness. This process continues forward in the same way it starts! You will overflow with THANKSGIVING when you live this way.

This same idea comes up again in the book of Galatians:

“Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Gal. 3:2,3)

You and I will be “perfected” by the same work of “the Spirit” that started our journey with Christ in us! Here we see this moment of receiving - receiving the Son (Jesus) and the Spirit - as both being moments of “hearing with faith”. (Faith is “assurance of what we hope for and conviction concerning what we cannot see” cf. Heb. 11) The flesh and the law will never “perfect us”. When we wonder how we are supposed to live moving forward in Christ, the word of God tells us to look back to that first moment we received the Lord in us and stay the course. The way we started is the way we continue. “Hearing with faith” is how we proceed. Listening to the Spirit of God within us as he speaks to us… in prayer, through his word, through his people, and directly to our immaterial self within us. As many have said before: the Word of God, the Spirit of God, the People of God is how God speaks to us so that we can “hear with faith” and be driven forward deeper into “life in the Spirit”!

Take a moment today to think back on the way your journey started with Christ. Think of the simplicity. Think of the forgiveness. Consider the HOPE that was in you. (Faith after all is built on HOPE and conviction … re-read that Heb. 11 again.) The word of God calls the one who believes that “works of the law” and “fleshly effort” are going to transform them FOOLS! That is right… FOOLS. It is foolish to expect that anything different than what started the journey / work in us is going to carry it forward. SO the scriptures declare: “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 1:6) May you be “rooted and built up in (Jesus) and established in the faith…abounding in thanksgiving” today. Love you guys. - JDP