Friday, September 4, 2026

Scripture

“It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.” Galatians 2:20

Reflections

Does Christ Jesus live in you?

At the time of the Apostle Paul, the Jewish people could not wrap their minds around the idea of the one holy God dwelling within their lives.  It was all about trying to be “good religious people”.  They thought that by following the Ten Commandments they would have a right relationship with God and “hopefully” enter God’s eternal rest.  Sadly, this is an elusive goal.  None of us flawlessly follow the Ten Commandments.  We are always left convicted.

There is a better way, the way of trusting in Christ Jesus, the One who loves us and gave himself for us.  We trust in his ways, not just our ways.  That means that if we want Christ Jesus to live in us, we must first die.  We die to our self-serving, destructive, sinful ways.  We die to the thinking that salvation comes to us by trying to be perfect people.  We die to the law in order that we might live to God.  We then discover that anything we have given up has been replaced by that which is of eternal value.

We live by faith.  When we trust in Christ Jesus, he begins a work in us.  We die to ourselves and then he comes alive in us.  Every day we are called to turn from our own self-serving desires in order that he might live in us.

Prayer

Lord God, thank you for loving me, dying for me, and relieving me the burden of having to perfectly follow the Law.  I trust in You and welcome You into my life this day.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Full Reading: Galatians 2:15-21