Lost and found! Jesus Christ is the life-giver. I have to lose my identity, who I think I am, and find my identity in Him. My flesh will war with my spirit man if I give it free rein. Life is full of choices. God created us with a free will to choose. Romans 8:1 declares “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk after the flesh, but after the spirit.” Truth! But we have all proved there is plenty of condemnation when we walk in the flesh! Oh to be lost and found in Him!

Verse 2 of Romans 8 goes on to teach and encourage us,”For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” In aviation the forward thrust of the engine in the law of aerodynamics, supersedes the downward pull of the law of gravity. Similarly, the indwelling Christ in me, supersedes all that I am. As I choose to walk in humility He expresses His life through me, and “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” takes over. Every day we make life choices how we operate in this wonderful gift of life our Heavenly Father has given us. Do I see my life as a gift?….or do I take it for granted? The Lord permits a set of circumstances in my life to conform me to the image of His Son, (Ephesians 4:13).

In God’s eyes, He sees us as the finished article through the finished work of Calvary, perfected in His Son. After we have entered into the “finished work of Calvary“, that is, our salvation, then the Holy Spirit begins His ongoing work in us to bring us to maturity – conformed to the image of Christ Jesus. As I submit to His leading and direction, I find my old life is gloriously lost in His, and He becomes my identity. We have new life in Christ – hallelujah! – and I am found in Him and can say with Paul, “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

He who loses his life shall find it, in Christ. How? Surrender all my rights to myself. Jesus surrendered all His will and rights to Himself when He left His Father’s side in Heaven. He came to earth to fulfill the will of His Father: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son….” John 3:16. In Gethsemane He agonised with His final choice to surrender to His Father’s plan to procure salvation for the world. He knew what lay ahead in the cruel death of crucifixion and dreaded it. Yet He chose surrender as He prayed, “O my Father, if it be possible let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as you will,” Matthew 26:39 and also 42.

Jesus Christ only expresses Himself through me to the degree that I allow Him to. He speaks, I bow – He lives! If I refuse to bow my old flesh life manifests. Don’t settle for less than God’s best! Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me…..let us be “letters“, known and read of all men.