Monday, February 9, 2015

Are you willing ... ?

One morning I was just thanking God that He loves us - loves me! - enough to send His Son to die for me so I could be reconciled to Him.  I went on from there to thank Jesus that He was willing that His body be broken and His blood spilled for me, to atone for my sins.  It was then as if I heard, "Are you willing to be broken for the sins of others?" 

Somewhat confused, my immediate reply was, “But I thought Jesus did that?”  Then I remembered a Scripture that said something about completing the Lord’s sufferings:

Colossians 1:24 (NRSV)

24 I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church.

We had a few discussions about this as I questioned to see if I could tell if this was indeed the Spirit of God, but (like the song lyrics of For Your Glory by Tasha Cobbs) I finally tearfully came to the confession, "For Your Glory, I would do anything" - believing that if this brokenness will give God Glory, with His help and in His strength, I submit (as Jesus did in Gethsemane) that not my will but His be done; (as Mary said in Luke 1:38) "let it be unto me" according to His Word. 

I found other Scriptures (AMP) about sharing in Christ's sufferings:

And if we are [His] children, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory.

For just as Christ’s [own] sufferings fall to our lot [as they overflow upon His disciples, and we share and experience them] abundantly, so through Christ comfort (consolation and encouragement) is also [shared and experienced] abundantly by us.

For you have been granted [the privilege] for Christ’s sake not only to believe in (adhere to, rely on, and trust in) Him, but also to suffer in His behalf.

[Even] now I rejoice in the midst of my sufferings on your behalf. And in my own person I am making up whatever is still lacking and remains to be completed [on our part] of Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of His body, which is the church.

Indeed all who delight in piety and are determined to live a devoted and godly life in Christ Jesus will meet with persecution [will be made to suffer because of their religious stand].

For even to this were you called [it is inseparable from your vocation]. For Christ also suffered for you, leaving you [His personal] example, so that you should follow in His footsteps.

1 Peter 4:1-2
 So, since Christ suffered in the flesh for us, for you, arm yourselves with the same thought and purpose [patiently to suffer rather than fail to please God]. For whoever has suffered in the flesh [having the mind of Christ] is done with [intentional] sin [has stopped pleasing himself and the world, and pleases God],
So that he can no longer spend the rest of his natural life living by [his] human appetites and desires, but [he lives] for what God wills.

But insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, rejoice, so that when His glory [full of radiance and splendor] is revealed, you may also rejoice with triumph [exultantly].

… and my journey with Him continues …

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