GALATIANS 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

TO PONDER

Every morning do you look at yourself in the mirror and say “dead-man/woman-walking” to remind yourself of who you are/should be on the other side of the cross?

In today’s verse, Paul is identifying himself as a dead-man-walking. Not in the sense that he is mortal and with a sigh of resignation admitting one day he will die but rather, as a reminder that who he was before the cross of Jesus is now dead, and that he was now living a new life, a Jesus life.

The background of the verse is a discussion about how the Jewish brethren were treating the Gentile (non-Jews) converts, the "others", the "neighbours". 

The “dead-person-walking” or the “crucified-person-walking” Paul is talking about in the verse, is a person who gives themselves for others, just as Jesus did for us, gave himself for the us while we were still the "other".

As an “exvangelical” I would often talk about “giving my life to Jesus” while the words of Jesus were actually calling me to give my life for others. I eventually realised it was less about “doing” church on a Sunday and more about “being” church daily, living as a dead-person-walking, a crucified person reflecting Jesus to those around me. 

To sum it up; Jesus gave his life for you, your task is to follow him and give your life for others daily.

PRAYER: Almighty God, you described yourself to Moses as “merciful and gracious” highlighting your unreasonable hospitality towards me, inviting me, the “other”, to become family through your sacrifice, help me sacrifice myself for others. Amen. 

Today's devotion written by Dany Brock, LifeWay Westside.