Dead or Alive

Scripture:
“For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” — Colossians 3:3

Observation:
What does it mean to be dead? I mean dead people don’t have any rights or entitlements, do they? Don’t they give those up upon death? They can try to plan ahead before they die with things like their funeral, burial, what to do with what’s left behind; but upon death it’s out of their hands.  

Application:
And so here Paul tells us that we have died and our life is hidden with Christ. So if our new life is with Christ, shouldn’t our every deed, thought and word be yielded completely to him? If we are truly dead, then we can do nothing without his allowance. That’s a sobering thought, because I do a lot of things without even considering Christ much less recognizing that my life is hidden with him. Meaning he is with me at all times, allowing me to say, think or do. But I don’t think I’m supposed to view him as a watchdog standing over my life saying, “yes or no.” I’m the one, after all, who chose to hand over my life to him. I’m the one who said my life isn’t worth living so I chose to die so that He can live in me and I with Him.  

Prayer:
So…I know you are alive in my God, but am I allowing you to truly live in me? Or am I still trying to raise my dead self back to life? Thank you for the reminder that I’m dead. I chose to die and give my life to you so that it could be used by you. So (v. 17) in whatever I do, in word or deed, help me to do it all in Jesus’ name, giving you thanks. 

— Jared Yates, college & single adult pastor, Reservoir campus