Happy Saturday, friends!
I’ve had the rare experience of sleeping in until after 8:00 the past two days. It’s nice sometimes, but it messes with my rhythms a bit, so it’s not going to be a habit.
My Bible reading this morning was Galatians chapter 2.
This chapter contains the verse that has shaped my life more than any other over the past 30 years or so.
I always resisted the idea of having a “life verse” and, truth be told, I still resist that terminology. There’s something about it that seems (to me) to inordinately elevate one verse above the rest of the scriptures.
I will, however, say that this is the verse that I cling to as a reminder of who I am.
When I wrote my most recent book (it’s been far too long, so getting on to the next one is on my to-do list), I coined the term “Christ-life” as a description of how this verse informs and shapes my life. (Here’s a link to the book for anyone interested).
When I read the verse this morning and thought about the image I would use as a background, I chose a selfie I took on a beach on the island of Mykonos about 3 months ago.
This is my reminder to myself that my life is shaped by Christ’s life in me.
The Christ-life is my mission (my WHAT), my purpose (my WHY), my compass (my GUIDE), my thermostat (my internal CONTROL). It’s not something I pull out for religious activities.
It’s who I am: Jesus living His life IN me and THROUGH me AS me.
Or, in the profound words of Dallas Willard, “What would Jesus do if He were I?”
(Ending that with “I” rather than “me” strikes me as grammatically awkward, but I wanted the quote to be accurate).
I’m not suggesting that every follower of Jesus should have the same “life verse.”
I am suggesting that every follower of Jesus is called to be on mission to live out the Christ-life.
And that always requires a crucifixion of our own self-focused life.
How will you live the Christ-life today?
Be amazing today, my friend.
