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I love the rendition of this old hymn, "Nothing but the Blood, by Jadon Lavik. Listen to the profound truth in these lyrics.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Identified with Christ
This week I had a "risk reduction" surgery on November 5th at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. It included a left mastectomy and a right mastectomy revision. It was recommended that I have more margin removed around my former tumor to reduce the risks of recurrence and my left breast removed to reduce the risk of cancer in that breast. Given my various stats, I am high risk for recurrence. It was highly recommended that I take this next course of action.
Yesterday morning, while I was waiting for doctors to come into evaluate me and determine if I could be released from the hospital a scripture reference came to my mind. I asked Rob, what scripture reference is this?
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me."
Rob said, "I believe it's Galatians 2:20 or II Corinthians 5:17."
My next thought was the position I laid during surgery. During a mastectomy surgery your arms are spread horizontally on the operating table like Jesus' were on the cross. This struck me as a new identifier with Christ, my Savior and Lord.
This morning, I looked up Galatians 2:20 in my Bible. Sure enough, that was the scripture reference that was brought to my mind yesterday morning. Today I'm reflecting on what it means to be "crucified with Christ."
Below is an excerpt from a Matthew Henry commentary that gives an excellent description of the mysterious life of a believer in Jesus:
[1.] He is crucified, and yet he lives; the old man is crucified (Rom 6:6), but the new man is living; he is dead to the world, and dead to the law, and yet alive to God and Christ; sin is mortified, and grace quickened.
[2.] He lives, and yet not he. This is strange: I live, and yet not I; he lives in the exercise of grace; he has the comforts and the triumphs of grace; and yet that grace is not from himself, but from another. Believers see themselves living in a state of dependence.
[3.] He is crucified with Christ, and yet Christ lives in him; this results from his mystical union with Christ, by means of which he is interested in the death of Christ, so as by virtue of that to die unto sin; and yet interested in the life of Christ, so as by virtue of that to live unto God.
[4.] He lives in the flesh, and yet lives by faith; to outward appearance he lives as other people do, his natural life is supported as others are; yet he has a higher and nobler principle that supports and actuates him, that of faith in Christ, and especially as eyeing the wonders of his love in giving himself for him. Hence it is that, though he lives in the flesh, yet he does not live after the flesh. Note, those who have true faith live by that faith; and the great thing which faith fastens upon is Christ's loving us and giving himself for us. The great evidence of Christ's loving us is his giving himself for us; and this is that which we are chiefly concerned to mix faith with, in order to our living to him.
Father, thank you for this identifier with you - being crucified with Christ, so that I may live in you and for you. Through you alone, I live and have eternal hope. You are the soul of my soul. I live for you, Lord Jesus. This life I live by faith in the Son of God, believing in Christ as the sacrifice for my sin. Thank you for your sacrificial love. The One who gave himself up for me, that I may be saved from the bitter pains of eternal death. I praise you for this intimate, myterious union with Christ that I might know you more fully, Lord, the power of Your resurrection and the fellowship of Your sufferings. Lord, I live for You, the One who redeemed me by Your Son's precious blood. In Jesus' name, AMEN.
Yesterday morning, while I was waiting for doctors to come into evaluate me and determine if I could be released from the hospital a scripture reference came to my mind. I asked Rob, what scripture reference is this?
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me."
Rob said, "I believe it's Galatians 2:20 or II Corinthians 5:17."
My next thought was the position I laid during surgery. During a mastectomy surgery your arms are spread horizontally on the operating table like Jesus' were on the cross. This struck me as a new identifier with Christ, my Savior and Lord.
This morning, I looked up Galatians 2:20 in my Bible. Sure enough, that was the scripture reference that was brought to my mind yesterday morning. Today I'm reflecting on what it means to be "crucified with Christ."
Below is an excerpt from a Matthew Henry commentary that gives an excellent description of the mysterious life of a believer in Jesus:
[1.] He is crucified, and yet he lives; the old man is crucified (Rom 6:6), but the new man is living; he is dead to the world, and dead to the law, and yet alive to God and Christ; sin is mortified, and grace quickened.
[2.] He lives, and yet not he. This is strange: I live, and yet not I; he lives in the exercise of grace; he has the comforts and the triumphs of grace; and yet that grace is not from himself, but from another. Believers see themselves living in a state of dependence.
[3.] He is crucified with Christ, and yet Christ lives in him; this results from his mystical union with Christ, by means of which he is interested in the death of Christ, so as by virtue of that to die unto sin; and yet interested in the life of Christ, so as by virtue of that to live unto God.
[4.] He lives in the flesh, and yet lives by faith; to outward appearance he lives as other people do, his natural life is supported as others are; yet he has a higher and nobler principle that supports and actuates him, that of faith in Christ, and especially as eyeing the wonders of his love in giving himself for him. Hence it is that, though he lives in the flesh, yet he does not live after the flesh. Note, those who have true faith live by that faith; and the great thing which faith fastens upon is Christ's loving us and giving himself for us. The great evidence of Christ's loving us is his giving himself for us; and this is that which we are chiefly concerned to mix faith with, in order to our living to him.
Father, thank you for this identifier with you - being crucified with Christ, so that I may live in you and for you. Through you alone, I live and have eternal hope. You are the soul of my soul. I live for you, Lord Jesus. This life I live by faith in the Son of God, believing in Christ as the sacrifice for my sin. Thank you for your sacrificial love. The One who gave himself up for me, that I may be saved from the bitter pains of eternal death. I praise you for this intimate, myterious union with Christ that I might know you more fully, Lord, the power of Your resurrection and the fellowship of Your sufferings. Lord, I live for You, the One who redeemed me by Your Son's precious blood. In Jesus' name, AMEN.
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