Jesus was meant to be your life.
Yes, friend, read that incredible reality again. Jesus was meant to be
your life. Not a part of your life. Not a very important part of
your life.
He was meant to BE your life.
In Jesus alone you will find the life you are longing for - the life He
created and redeemed to give you - Himself. When we look to
other things for the life only He can give, we always come up empty. Hear
Jesus calling you,
"I am the...life." (John 14:6)
When I was younger there were popular t-shirts and bumper stickers that
said,
"Soccer is life, the rest are just details." or a
lot of other things that people loved (ballet, fishing, etc). I hope that
by the end of this post, we will all want to live with the motto,
"JESUS
is life, the rest are just details." - and even better -
"To live is Christ." (Phil. 1:21)
Let's look at 4 amazing ways Jesus is your life - and let's do it in the
acrostic: L-I-F-E:
L - Life-source - He is the source of your whole life:
salvation, spiritual life, and physical
life.
"Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes
to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst."
(John 6:34)
I - Individual purpose - He is your only reason for living, your motivation
for what you do, and the One your life points to and proclaims.
"To
live is Christ..." (Phil. 1:21)
F - Fellowship - He is the One you can share every moment of life with.
“‘In
him we live and move and have our being..."' (Acts 17:28)
E - Everything - He is your entire life (not just a little part), your
satisfaction, the One you are consumed with and live and breathe - not just
part of your life, but your whole life.
"...Christ who is your
life..." (Col. 3:4)
Jesus is meant to be who you live from, with, and for - and so much more!
How living with Jesus as your life changes your life:
As you live with Jesus as your life, the more life explodes with meaning,
power, joy, and purpose!
He becomes the joy in your heart, the breath in your lungs, the light in your
eyes, the story of your life, the reason you get out of bed, your motivation
for all you do...
Every moment becomes an exciting opportunity to know, live more deeply in, and
point to Jesus.
When you open your eyes, HE is your first thought; as you walk through the day,
you walk with Him; and He is the last one you say goodnight to before you drift
off to sleep.
The outflow of Jesus as your life will impact every aspect of all you are
and do - and others will see and experience Him through your life, seeing
His goodness.
No matter what you face, life is good, because your life is not ultimately
dependent on your circumstances, feelings, relationships, health, etc., but on
Jesus.
I cannot even express how seeing and embracing the reality of Jesus being
my life changed - and continues to change - my every moment! Jesus
became no longer just a part of my day when I did my devotions and maybe prayed
with a friend on the phone - Jesus became my life, the source of my life, the
reason I live, and my companion every moment.
Every moment was an
opportunity to walk with Him, know Him, depend on Him, live for Him, and share
Him. I found when He is your life, life is filled with fullness and
purpose, no matter what I face, because life is Him! It is a lifelong
journey of learning, growing, repenting (of looking to other things for life)
and reviving, and rejoicing in living with Jesus as my life - and
there is
no life I would rather live!
So what are some practical ways you can live with Jesus as your life?
~ Look to Him as your source of life every moment - first through
salvation, and then looking to and
depending on Him for all you need for spiritual and physical life.
~ Share each moment with Him - inviting Him into your day and talking
with Him about what you're facing. (Having reminders that turn your heart to
Him are so helpful - We will have a post on this later in the month!)
~ Let your life be about Him - doing what you do with Him as the focus
and motivation (conversations, social media, serving, etc.), and seeking to
point everyone around you to the One who is your life.
You can pray a simple prayer like,
"Jesus, please be my life
today." and ask Him to help you increasingly live with Him
as your life. He will.
It is a lifelong growing into living with Jesus as your life - and He
is there with you to help you every step, the more you grow in Him as your life
you find the more beautiful life becomes, and you see this physical life is
just a stepping stone into eternal life with the one who is your life - Jesus!
"Jesus said... come to me that you may have life..." (John
5:40) Come to Jesus for
salvation and keep coming to Him for
life every moment of your life.
Jesus is the life you are looking for, friend. Will you embrace Jesus
as your life today, friend?
When Jesus is your life, life is good, because life is Jesus.
Yes, "Jesus is life, the rest are just details."
"To live is Christ."