“The Lord created you in the fullness of your humanity, and it is your humanity that he longs to redeem.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – April 17th, 2021
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Ephesians 1:22-23 (NIV)
When our Lord Jesus took on flesh and bone, he dignified and sanctified the physical reality of our existence. He did not come as a ghostly spirit, nor does he invite us into a disembodied future. Christ’s bodily resurrection is the hope towards which we all strive: to have the whole of our humanity healed, restored, and transformed by the love of God.
For this reason, our present life with Christ should be a deeply physical and incarnational journey. Though St. Paul rightly exhorts us to be transformed through the renewal of our minds (Romans 12:2), the healing of our minds should not be seen as opposed to or isolated from the transformation of our entire being.
The Lord created you in the fullness of your humanity, and it is your humanity that he longs to redeem.
In light of this, we are invited daily to submit all of our actions to the Lord and orient all of our senses towards the coming kingdom of God. Every thought you have and decision you make is connected to your life of discipleship and has the potential to deepen the life of God within you. As Ephesians 1:23 reminds us, Christ “fills everything in every way.” If we are in Christ, we too must learn to see him and encounter him in everything and every way.
It is tempting to see “faith” or “religion” as one part of the pie chart that makes up our lives. It may be in the mix, but what does it have to do with the way I spend my time or money? What does Christ have to say about my recreational pursuits or entertainment choices? In reality, Christ is not a slice of the pie but gives meaning and purpose to every part of it!
Try as we might, it is impossible to divide our lives into neatly defined categories. The Lord longs to heal and restore every part of you – body, mind, and soul – and does so through the realities of our everyday lives, even the ones that may in the moment feel anything but spiritual!
Prayer
Father, thank you that you are at work, healing and restoring me into the likeness of your son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
Can you learn to see within your daily rhythms the invitation from the Lord into transformed and renewed living?
Related Reading
Psalm 8:6; John 1:16; Colossians 1:18
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Worship Resource
Mosaic MSC: Tremble
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