Tom writes:

The fundamental identity of a Christian is someone who has Christ Jesus in them. We need to pause on this a while. We need to linger on this doctrine. The defining thing about us is not that we go to church. The defining thing about us is not that we try to live in step with the Spirit or to obey the words of God. The defining thing about us is not even that we believe Jesus Christ was God-made-flesh reconciling the world to himself through his death and resurrection. The defining thing about is that Jesus - the one who touched the blind and they saw, the one who preached the best sermon ever given, the one who never sinned, the one who rose powerful and victorious from the grave, the one who is seated at the right hand of the Father, the one who will be crowned eternal King of every star and galaxy and planet in the universe - that He is in us. I can’t do the maths for it. I can barely begin to do the theology for it. But I sure as heck need to believe it. Believing it and knowing it would comprehensively change my perspective on life. It would radically overhaul what I think about myself, about what is possible for me, about what the future will hold, about what I can offer to others.

The holy grail of the pilgrimage of faith is to get to the place where you know in your knower that King Jesus is in you. If we can grasp that then we will begin to experience all Paul has been seeking to achieve in this letter; we’ll be hugely alert to all God is doing in us; we’ll embrace our weakness and scorn all pride; we’ll open wide our hearts to others, be willing to confront others and give ourselves to them in love; we will grow in holiness and beauty in God. It all comes down to knowing King Jesus, God-made-flesh, is now dwelling in us. That’s why Paul ends this letter with the famous Trinitrarian prayer that some churches have turned into an awkward ice-breaker (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, just be grateful for that). If we can just wake up to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, if we can acknowledge them and grow affection for them and abide with them then perfect peace and perfect love will be in our grasp. Let’s spend time today forging fellowship with our God.

Question for reflection

Resurrected Jesus the King of all the universe lives in you. How do you feel about that?

2 Corinthians 13 - Tuesday 25th June